Jack Follman's Pac-12 Football Awards 2013

MVP - Trent Murphy LB Stanford

Really tough call here as there is no clear-cut favorite. Mariota might seem like the choice, but his team didn't even win their own division and he was ineffective in the Ducks' one big game. Murphy was the best player on the Pac-12 champion and made about as big of an impact as you can as a singular player on defense.

2. Marcus Mariota QB Oregon3. Bishop Sankey RB Washington

Coach of the Year - Todd Graham Arizona State

Easy call here, as it wasn't a great season for Pac-12 coaches and Graham was one of probably only two that exceeded expectations. Graham led the Sun Devils to their best regular season in a very, very long time and pushed them over the edge in their race against UCLA and USC.

2. Mike Leach Washington State 3. David Shaw Stanford

Defensive Player of the Year - Trent Murphy LB Stanford

See above, but Murphy was the best pass-rusher in the conference, an intimidating force and the best player on the conference's best defense.

2. Anthony Barr LB UCLA 3. Shayne Skov LB Stanford

Special Teams Player of the Year - Ty Montgomery RS Stanford

Montgomery was scary as hell on kick returns and pretty much beat Washington all on his own. Montgomery was particularly deadly as not only was he ridiculously fast, he had the size to run through tackles in the open field.

2. Nelson Agholar RS USC 3. Bralon Addison RS Oregon

Offensive Freshman of the Year - Jared Goff QB Cal

Myles Jack was honored as offensive freshman of the year, but that was entirely unfair to guys like Goff, Thomas Tyner, Michael Adkins, Paul Perkins and Sefo Liufau who produced much more. Goff struggled at times, but still handled the starting quarterback position nearly all season for the Bears, threw for more than 3,500 yards with 18 touchdowns to 10 interceptions and has a bright future.

2. Thomas Tyner RB Oregon 3. Michael Adkins RB Colorado

Defensive Freshman of the Year - Myles Jack LB UCLA

Jack more than deserved the defensive title though as he made plays all over the field and looked like an All-American in the making.

2. Addison Gillam LB Colorado 3. Scooby Wright LB Arizona

New Coach of the Year - Mark Helfrich Oregon

Helfrich is already starting to draw a lot of ire from Oregon fans for losing two games and not getting the Ducks to a BCS bowl game for the first time since 2008, but ultimately he was the best of the new Pac-12 coaches and has already matched the amount of games that Chip Kelly won in his first season at Oregon.

2. Mike McIntyre Colorado

Offensive Performance of the Year - Tyler Gaffney against Oregon

There may have been many performances that were much more prolific, but none were more gutty and punishing than Gaffney's 45 carries against Oregon for 157 yards and a touchdown. Gaffney carried the load for the Cardinal all night in what would end up ultimately being the deciding game of the Pac-12.

2. Marcus Mariota against Colorado 3. Taylor Kelly against Washington State

Defensive Performance of the Year - Shayne Skov against Oregon

Have to go with another performance in the game that ultimately decided the conference. Skov was everywhere against the Ducks and made a strip of De'Anthony Thomas near the goal line that may have been the defensive player of the year in the Pac-12.

2. Anthony Barr against USC 3. Trent Murphy against Oregon State

Game of the Year - Arizona State vs. UCLA

The game that decided the South featured a roaring start for the Sun Devils, but went down to the wire after a ferocious comeback from the Bruins. In a season where a lot of the big showdowns were let downs, this one didn't disappoint.

2. Oregon State vs. Oregon 3. Washington vs. Stanford

Shocking Moment of the Year - Arizona destroys Oregon

The Ducks had lost a lot of their swagger in a punishing loss to Stanford just a couple of weeks before, but the Ducks still had a shot at the national championship and a clear path to the Pac-12 Championship, so it was astonishing when they headed down to Tucson and got blasted by a struggling Arizona team. It wasn't one of the biggest upsets in the history of the conference, but the way that the Wildcats controlled the Ducks was something that no one in the Pac-12 had been able to do in five years.

2. Wisconsin/Arizona State ending 3. Steve Sarkisian heads back to USC

Most fun player to watch - Myles Jack LB/RB UCLA

Remember when everyone got really stoked about Owen Marecic going both ways for Stanford a couple of years back, well Jack did that, but tenfold as he ran for seven touchdowns while also being one of the best linebackers in the conference... as a freshman. Jack was a throwback to the days of yesteryear when a team's best athlete played both ways, but his athleticism and explosiveness was in a no way a throwback do the days when guys who ran 4.9 40s scored touchdowns.

2. Deone Bucannon S Washington State 3. Shayne Skov LB Stanford

Inspirational Player of the Year - Nick Pasquale WR UCLA

UCLA's performance at Nebraska after Pasquale's tragic passing was probably the most inspirational moment of the season.

Post-injury Player of the Year - Paul Richardson WR Colorado

It was nice to get Richardson back after losing an entire year to injury. Richardson was the best receiver in the conference this year not named Brandin Cooks.

2. Hau'oli Kikaha DE Washington 3. Devon Kennard DE USC

Workhorse Award - Ka'Deem Carey RB Arizona

The Pac-12 featured some running backs that carried the rock a ton with Carey, Bishop Sankey and Gaffney, but Carey carried it more than all of them, and in fewer games.

2. Bishop Sankey RB Washington 3. Tyler Gaffney RB Stanford

Nasty Award - David Parry DT Stanford

Like Terrance Stephens before him, Parry is an underrated warrior who clogs up the middle for the Cardinal and brings the nasty straight at opposing offenses. More than anyone in the conference, he is the guy you will see up front wreaking havoc.

2. Cassius Marsh DE UCLA 3. Deone Bucannon S Washington State

Most -Improved Player - Steven Nelson CB Oregon State

Nelson was expected to just compete for the starting cornerback spot for the Beavers, but ended up not only locking down the spot across from Rashaad Reynolds, but nearly led the conference in interceptions and made honorable mention All-Pac-12.

2. Bralon Addison WR Oregon 3. Marcus Peters CB Washington

Most Underrated Player - Josh Huff WR Oregon

Despite having some of the best statistics of any receiver in the conference and being a great blocker, along with basically winning The Civil War for the Ducks, Huff didn't make first or second team All-Pac-12.

2. Alden Darby S Arizona State 3. Connor Hamlett TE Oregon State

Lifetime lack-of-achievement award - Jay Stricherz

I have heard rumors that the dreaded glasses ref/Glasses McF***face is retiring at the end of the year and after years of groaning while his voice announces a completely wrong or unnecessary flag, I have to tip my cap to him for years of holding onto his job while enraging every fan in the Pac-12.

2. Land Clark (Next Jay Stricherz)

Biggest overall surprise - Just how bad Cal was

I don't think anyone expected a big season out of the Bears, but going into 2013 it seemed like they had a decent amount of talent on the roster and Sonny Dykes' Bear Raid offense would at least put up points on the board, but it ended up being a nightmare for the Bears. Between brawls, the nation's worst graduation rate, a horrific rash of injuries and a single win over a bad FCS program, I don't think anyone say the Bears' incredibly bleak season coming.

2. USC's turnaround under Ed Orgeron 3. Washington State getting back to a bowl

Most Embarrassing Moment - Pac-12 refs regularly forgetting who they called penalties on

It seemed like every single game Pac-12 refs would space when thinking about what number a penalty was on, drawing roars of laughter from home crowds. As if the Pac-12 refs weren't embarrassing enough in general all ready.

2. Wisconsin vs. Arizona State ending 3. Lane Kiffin on GameDay