Team MVP: LaMichael James (1,805 yards, 18 touchdowns, 7.3 yards per carry) @@GoDucks stats incorrect; fact checked@@
The heart and soul of this team, LaMichael James leaves Oregon as perhaps its greatest player ever — and with a Rose Bowl championship to top things off. He may have missed two games with an elbow injury, but his presence both as a player and as a leader was invaluable, and he came up big time and time again.
Newcomer of the Year: De’Anthony Thomas (595 yards rushing, 605 receiving, 983 kick returning, 18 total touchdowns) @@checked@@
Come on, like it could be anyone else? You could even make an MVP argument for Thomas, especially after he helped put Oregon over the top in the Rose Bowl. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he’s going to be a staple of the program for years to come.
Offensive Player of the Year: Darron Thomas (2,761 yards, 62.2 percent completion, 33 touchdowns, seven interceptions) @@checked@@
No one received more undue criticism this season than Darron Thomas. Amid all of the clamoring for Bryan Bennett to start, all Thomas did was have yet another spectacular season while playing a starring role in Oregon’s Rose Bowl victory. It might not always be pretty, but Thomas has this offense down cold, and no one is better suited to lead this team every Saturday.
Defensive player of the Year: John Boyett (108 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, 1 interception) @@checked@@
Generally quiet and soft-spoken with the media, Boyett was the exact opposite on the field. He led the team in tackles with 108, while also coming up with an interception and two blocked kicks. He was everywhere on the field, and never gave anything less than his best. That’s the definition of a defensive star.
Coach of the Year (Non-Chip Kelly Division): Steve Greatwood, offensive line
The Oregon offense goes nowhere without its offensive line, and Greatwood put together some of his best work this season with a line that saw three starters graduate from the 2010 squad (Jordan Holmes, Bo Thran, C.E. Kaiser). They barely missed a beat, and Oregon led the Pac-12 in rushing without a single individual on the all-conference team. Greatwood’s fingerprints are all over that success.