SEC 2014 Season Awards and All-Conference Team
The SEC’s trophy case is already full of championships during the BCS era, but the conference is set to once again welcome a handful of national award winners to its collection of previous talent. Alabama receiver Amari Cooper was one of the best players in the nation this year and is a lock for All-America honors after catching 115 passes. But Cooper isn’t the only Crimson Tide player likely to win awards, as coordinator Lane Kiffin was one of the top candidates for the Broyles Award that went to Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman, and safety Landon Collins should be a first-team All-American.
Missouri is another one of the big winners in the award selections by Athlon Sports, as defensive end Shane Ray earns defensive player of the year honors. Ray and fellow end Markus Golden were both selected to the Athlon Sports first-team All-SEC squad.
Outside of the two division champs, Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen checks in as coach of the year, while South Carolina receiver Pharoh Cooper is the league’s top breakout player.
2014 Season Awards and All-Conference Teams:
ACC|Big 12|Big Ten| Pac-12
SEC 2014 Season Awards
Coach of the Year: Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
Mullen elevated Mississippi State into the SEC and national title mix this season, guiding the program to a 10-2 mark with a second-place finish in the brutal West Division. The Bulldogs ranked No. 1 in the first college football playoff rankings and ranked inside of the top four until a loss to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl. Mullen’s 10-2 mark was the best of his tenure in Starkville, and the Bulldogs are set to make their first appearance in the Orange Bowl since 1940 this season.
Offensive Player of the Year: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Cooper was easily the best player in the SEC this season. The junior thrived under the watch of coordinator Lane Kiffin by catching 115 passes for 1,656 yards and 14 scores. Cooper averaged 14.4 yards per catch and nearly nine receptions per game (8.8.). The junior delivered in Alabama’s biggest games in 2014, including a huge performance (13 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns) in the Iron Bowl win over Auburn and a 12-catch afternoon against Missouri in the SEC Championship.
Defensive Player of the Year: Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
Strong consideration for Alabama safety Landon Collins and Missouri defensive end Markus Golden are needed here, but Ray gets the edge as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The junior led all SEC defenders with 12.5 sacks, including two in a critical road win at South Carolina in late September. Ray also led all SEC defenders with 21 tackles for a loss, recorded 61 tackles and forced two fumbles.
Recommended Articles
Newcomer of the Year: D’haquille Williams, WR, Auburn
A knee injury slowed Williams in November, but he finished the season with 45 catches for 730 yards and five scores. The junior college transfer recorded four 100-yard performances and caught two scores against Mississippi State. Williams teamed with Sammie Coates to give Auburn one of the nation’s most-talented duos at receiver in 2014.
Freshman of the Year: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
It’s a tossup between Garrett, Georgia running back Nick Chubb and Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson. A slight edge goes to Garrett here, as it’s not easy being an impact defender as a true freshman in the SEC. Garrett was a bright spot for Texas A&M’s defense in 2014, recording 50 tackles (12.5 tackles for a loss), one pass breakup and 11 sacks in 11 games. Expect Garrett to be one of the leading candidates for All-America honors at defensive end in 2015.
Coordinator of the Year: Lane Kiffin, Offensive Coordinator, Alabama
Kiffin inherited plenty of talent, but the former USC coach was instrumental in the emergence of receiver Amari Cooper and the development of quarterback Blake Sims. Cooper was one of the nation’s top talents at receiver coming into 2014, but his numbers as a sophomore dipped after a promising freshman campaign. Under Kiffin’s watch, Cooper emerged as a Heisman finalist by catching 115 passes for 1,656 yards and 14 scores. Sims went into the preseason as a question mark, yet finished as a second-team All-SEC quarterback. Alabama averaged 6.4 yards per play and 34.2 points per contest in SEC games this season. The Crimson Tide also scored at least 40 points in each of their final three contests.
Breakout Player of the Year: Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina
Cooper caught only three passes for 54 yards last season, but big things were expected from the sophomore in 2014. And there’s no doubt Cooper delivered. The North Carolina native led all South Carolina receivers with 60 catches for 966 yards and eight scores. Cooper also rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns and recorded 78 punt return yards on 14 attempts. Cooper is expected to be one of the SEC’s top receivers and all-purpose threats returning for 2015.
SEC 2014 All-Conference Team
First-Team Offense | Second-Team Offense |
QB Dak Prescott | QB Blake Sims |
RB Cameron Artis-Payne | RB Josh Robinson |
RB Nick Chubb | RB T.J. Yeldon |
WR Amari Cooper | WR Laquon Treadwell |
WR Pharoh Cooper | WR Bud Sasser |
TE Evan Engram | TE Hunter Henry |
C Reese Dismukes | C David Andrews |
OG Arie Kouandjio | OG Vadal Alexander |
OG A.J. Cann | OG Ben Beckwith |
OT La'El Collins | OT Cam Robinson |
OT Laremy Tunsil | OT Mitch Morse |
AP Marcus Murphy | AP Speedy Noil |
|
|
First-Team Defense | Second-Team Defense |
DE Shane Ray | DE Dante Fowler |
DE Markus Golden | DE Preston Smith |
DE Myles Garrett | DE Derek Barnett |
DT A'Shawn Robinson | DT Robert Nkemdiche |
DL/LB Bud Dupree | LB Antonio Morrison |
LB Benardrick McKinney | LB Trey DePriest |
LB Martrell Spaight | LB Amarlo Herrera |
CB Senquez Golson | CB Damian Swann |
CB Vernon Hargreaves III | CB Jonathan Jones |
S Landon Collins | S Braylon Webb |
S Cody Prewitt | S Ronald Martin |
|
|
First-Team Specialists | Second-Team Specialists |
K Austin MacGinnis | K Elliott Fry |
P JK Scott | P Jamie Keehn |
KR Marcus Murphy | KR Darrius Sims |
PR Quan Bray | PR Andre Debose |
