2013 SEC Football Awards Announced

Courtesy of SEC Media Relations

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference on Wednesday announced its 2013 football individual awards. The honors were voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players.

Auburn’s Tre Mason was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Alabama’s C.J. Mosley and Missouri’s Michael Sam were named SEC Co-Defensive Players of the Year, Alabama’s Christion Jones was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year, Ole Miss’ Laquon Treadwell was named SEC Freshman of the Year, Georgia’s Aaron Murray was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Auburn’s Gus Malzahn was named the SEC Coach of the Year. Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews earned the Jacobs Blocking Trophy.

Mason, who turned in a record-setting Most Valuable Player performance at the SEC Championship Game with 304 rushing yards and four touchdowns, has recorded an SEC-leading 124.7 rushing yards per game this season. Mason has accumulated 1,621 rushing yards on the year – which ranks among the top-10 all-time on the SEC’s single season list – with a league-leading 23 total touchdowns this year. His 23 touchdowns this season are tied for third on the SEC’s all-time single season list.

Sam leads the SEC this season in sacks per game (0.81) and tackles for loss per game (1.38). He has posted 10.5 sacks on the season and has logged 18.0 tackles for loss on the year.

Mosley leads Alabama and ranks tied for fourth in the SEC this season with 102 total tackles on the year, including 56 solo tackles. He averaged 8.5 total tackles per game.

Jones leads the SEC in punt returns and punt return average, logging 21 returns on the year for 14.4 punt return yards per game with a league-leading two punt return touchdowns on the year. Additionally, he leads the SEC in kick return average with 29.3 yards per game.

Treadwell was the SEC’s top freshman wide receiver, catching 67 total passes for 557 yards on the year. He averaged 46.4 receiving yards per game and his 67 total catches rank third in the SEC this season. Treadwell has scored five receiving touchdowns on the year, which ranks tied for 11th in the SEC this season. He is the only freshman in the SEC this season to be ranked among the league’s top-15 in total receptions and receptions per game. Treadwell has been Ole Miss’ top receiver this season.

Murray is one of 16 players nationwide who earned the prestigious National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award and was one of two SEC finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy. He recorded a 4.0 grade point average in his first semester of a psychology doctorate program. He is a three-time Academic All-District selection, was a 2012 Capital One Academic All-America second-team selection and a member of the 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Murray is the SEC career record holder for total yards (13,155), touchdown passes (121), total offense (13,562) and completions (921).

Matthews, who became the second consecutive Texas A&M player to earn the Jacobs Blocking Trophy after Luke Joeckel garnered the honor a year ago, has been the leader of the Aggies’ offensive line that leads the SEC in passing offense at 350.9 yards per game.

Malzahn, in his first season at Auburn, engineered one of the finest turnarounds in college football history. He has directed the Tigers to a 12-1 season and a berth in the Vizio BCS National Championship. Following last season’s 3-9 record, Malzahn has helped lead his team to a nine-win improvement, best among all FBS teams. His Auburn team defeated Missouri 59-42 in the SEC Championship Game last Saturday and he is only the second first-year coach to lead his team to the national championship game.

2013 SEC FOOTBALL AWARDS

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tre Mason, Auburn

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
C.J. Mosley, Alabama
Michael Sam, Missouri

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Christion Jones, Alabama

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Aaron Murray, Georgia

JACOBS BLOCKING TROPHY
Jake Matthews, Texas A&M

COACH OF THE YEAR
Gus Malzahn, Auburn