A Breakdown of College Football's Awards

More than 20 awards were handed out to college football's best players leading into and during bowl season. With that many, it is tough to keep track of them so here is a breakdown of each award (in alphabetical order) and its history.

Several of the most prestigious awards were handed out during "The Home Depot College Football Awards," which was broadcast Dec. 12 on ESPN.

Biletnikoff Award

Honors: Top Receiver

Founded: 1994 by Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation

First Recipient: Bobby Engram, Penn State (1994)

Last Year’s Recipient: Jerry Jeudy, Alabama

This Year’s Recipient: Ja’Marr Chase, LSU

Bronko Nagurski Award

Honors: Best Defensive Player

Founded: 1993 by Charlotte Touchdown Club and Football Writers Association of America

First Recipient: Rob Waldrop, Arizona (1993)

Last Year’s Recipient: Josh Allen, Kentucky

This Year’s Recipient: Chase Young, Ohio State

Broyles Award

Honors: Best Assistant Coach, selected by 1,500 coaches representing all FBS programs

Founded: 1996 by Downtown Rotary Club in Little Rock, Ark.

First Recipient: Mickey Andrews, Florida State (1996)

Last Year’s Recipient: Mike Locksley, Alabama

This Year’s Recipient: Joe Brady, LSU

Burlsworth Trophy

Honors: Nation's most outstanding player who began college career as a walk-on

Founded: 2010 by Brandon Burlsworth Foundation

First Recipient: Sean Bedford, Georgia Tech (2010)

Last Year's Recipient: Hunter Renfrow, Clemson
This Year's Recipient: Kenny Willekes, Michigan State

Butkus Award

Honors: Best Linebacker

Founded: 1985 by Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando

First Recipient: Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma (1985)

Last Year’s Recipient: Devin White, LSU

This Year’s Recipient: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

Chuck Bednarik Award

Honors: Defensive Player of the Year

Founded: 1995 by Maxwell Football Club

First Recipient: Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (1995)

Last Year’s Recipient: Josh Allen, Kentucky

This Year’s Recipient: Chase Young, Ohio State

Davey O'Brien Award

Honors: Best Quarterback

Founded: 1977 by Davey O’Brien Foundation

First Recipient: Earl Campbell, Texas (1977) – Became quarterback-only award in 1981

Last Year’s Recipient: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

This Year’s Recipient: Joe Burrow, LSU

Doak Walker Award

Honors: Best Running Back

Founded: 1990 by Southern Methodist University

First Recipient: Greg Lewis, Washington (1990)

Last Year’s Recipient: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

This Year’s Recipient: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

The Dodd Trophy

Honors: FBS football coach whose program represents three pillars of success: Scholarship, Leadership and Integrity

Founded: 1976, presented annually by Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

First Recipient: Vince Dooley, Georgia (1976)

Last Year’s Recipient: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

This Year's Recipient: Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award

Honors: Most Inspirational Individual or Team

Founded: 1996

First Recipient: Daniel Huffman, a high school student who gave up his college football career to donate his kidney to his grandmother (1996)

This Year’s Recipient: Casey O'Brien, Minnesota

Eddie Robinson Award

Honors: Best coach

Founded: 1957 by Football Writers Association of America (FWAA)

First Recipient: Woody Hayes, Ohio State (1957)

Last Year's Recipient: Bill Clark, UAB

This Year's Recipient: Ed Orgeron, LSU

Heisman Trophy

Honors: Most Outstanding Player

Founded: 1935 by Downtown Athletic Club

First Recipient: Jay Berwanger, Chicago (1935)

Last Year’s Recipient: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
This Year's Recipient: Joe Burrow, LSU

Home Depot Coach of the Year Award

Honors: Coach of the Year, selected by ESPN and ABC college football analysts

Founded: 1994

First Recipient: Bobby Bowden, Florida State (1994)

Last Year’s Recipient: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

This Year's Recipient: Ed Orgeron, LSU

Jim Thorpe Award

Honors: Best Defensive Back

Founded: 1986 by Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame

First Recipient: Thomas Everett, Baylor (1986)

Scroll to Continue

Recommended Articles

College Football

Jimbo Fisher and Nick Saban Take Shots at Each Other Over Recruiting, Adding Fuel to SEC West Rivalry

Texas A&M Aggies

USFL

Tampa Bay Bandits vs. Philadelphia Stars Prediction and Preview (USFL Football)

Last Year’s Recipient: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama

This Year’s Recipient: Grant Delpit, LSU

John Mackey Award

Honors: Best Tight End

Founded: 2000 by Nassau County Sports Commission

First Recipient: Tim Stratton, Purdue (2000)

Last Year’s Recipient: T.J. Hockenson, Iowa

This Year’s Recipient: Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

Honors: Outstanding Senior or Fourth-Year Quarterback

Founded: 1987 by the Golden Arm Foundation

First Recipient: Don McPherson, Syracuse (1987)

This Year’s Recipient: Joe Burrow, LSU

Lombardi Award

Honors: Best Lineman or Linebacker

Founded: 1970 by Rotary International in Houston

First Recipient: Jim Stillwagon, Ohio State (1970)

Last Year’s Recipient: Ugochukwu Amadi, Oregon

Lott IMPACT Trophy

Honors: Defensive IMPACT (Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity) Player of the Year

Founded: 2004 by Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation

First Recipient: David Pollack, Georgia (2004)

Last Year’s Recipient: Josh Allen, Kentucky

This Year's Recipient: Derrick Brown, Auburn

Lou Groza Award

Honors: Best Placekicker

Founded: 1992 by Palm Beach County Sports Commission

First Recipient: Joe Allison, Memphis (1992)

Last Year’s Recipient: Andre Szmyt, Syracuse

This Year’s Recipient: Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia

Maxwell Award

Honors: Player of the Year

Founded: 1937 by Maxwell Football Club

First Recipient: Clint Frank, Yale (1937)

Last Year’s Recipient: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

This Year’s Recipient: Joe Burrow, LSU

Outland Trophy

Honors: Best Interior Lineman

Founded: 1946 by Football Writers Association of America

First Recipient: George Connor, Notre Dame (1946)

Last Year’s Recipient: Quinnen Williams, Alabama

This Year’s Recipient: Penei Sewell, Oregon

Paul Hornung Award

Honors: Most Versatile Player

Founded: 2010 by Louisville Sports Commission

First Recipient: Owen Marecic, Stanford (2010)

Last Year’s Recipient: Rondale Moore, Purdue

This Year’s Recipient: Lynn Bowden Jr.

Ray Guy Award

Honors: Best Punter

Founded: 2000 by Greater August Sports Council

First Recipient: Kevin Stemke, Wisconsin (2000)

Last Year’s Recipient: Braden Mann, Texas A&M

This Year’s Recipient: Max Duffy, Kentucky

Rimington Trophy

Honors: Best Center

Founded: 2000 by Boomer Esiason Foundation

First Recipient: Dominic Raiola, Nebraska (2000)

Last Year’s Recipient: Garrett Bradbury, NC State
This Year's Recipient: Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin

Ted Hendricks Award

Honors: Best Defensive End

Founded: 2002 by Ted Hendricks Foundation

First Recipient: Terrell Suggs, Arizona State (2002)

Last Year’s Recipient: Clelin Ferrell, Clemson

This Year’s Recipient: Chase Young, Ohio State

Walter Camp Award

Honors: Player of the Year

Founded: 1967 by Walter Camp Football Foundation

First Recipient: O.J. Simpson, USC (1967)

Last Year’s Recipient: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

This Year's Recipient: Joe Burrow, LSU

William V. Campbell Trophy

Honors: Best Student-Athlete

Founded: 1990 by the National Football Foundation

First Recipient: Chris Howard, Air Force (1990)

Last Year’s Recipient: Christian Wilkins, Clemson

This Year’s Recipient: Justin Herbert, Oregon

Wuerffel Trophy

Honors: Player "who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement"

Founded: 2005 by All Sports Association of Fort Walton Beach

First Recipient: Rudy Niswanger, LSU (2005)

Last Year’s Recipient: Drue Tranquill, Notre Dame

This Year’s Recipient: Jon Wassink, Western Michigan