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Pac-12 Coach of the Year
Jack Follman, Pacific Takes: Sean Miller - If Larry Krystkowiak can magically get Utah into the NCAA Tournament somehow down the stretch he takes it, but since I don't see that happening Miller is a boring, but deserving choice. Miller has put together the best Pac-12 team since the Ben Howland glory days at UCLA and has coached them to just two losses by a combined five points along with dealing with the loss of one of their best players.
Connor Pelton, Rush the Court: Herb Sendek - Came into the year on the hot seat and turned in one of his best seasons yet.
Parker Baruh, The Ralphie Report: Sean Miller, Arizona- With the way Arizona has dominated the conference, it's hard to give this award to anyone besides Miller. He has turned them into a national title contender and although they were the favorite to win the Pac-12, it was difficult to envision them being this dominant. The conference race was over in January. They've only lost twice this year and if Brandon Ashley doesn't go down against Cal, they might still be undefeated.
Adam Butler, Pac Hoops: Sean Miller - There are a lot of candidates here and there are many different criteria to consider: adversity, expectations, performance, etc. With a hat tip to some very deserving coaches, Miller gets my nod as his team has been consistently excellent, endured the loss of a significant contributor, adjusted to that hiccup, and endured. They're the toughest team going.
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year
Jack Follman, Pacific Takes: Aaron Gordon - This is a bit like one of those Oscar years where you know that one movie is going to win every award and Gordon is deserving as the Blake Griffin of the Pac-12 in 2014.
Connor Pelton, Rush the Court: Nigel Williams-Goss: Going a little off the board here. Aaron Gordon is going to be the popular pick but I have been far more impressed by Williams-Goss.
Parker Baruh, The Ralphie Report: Aaron Gordon, Arizona- He's raw on the offensive side of the ball and can't make free-throws, but he still manages to explode inside and his defense despite his low block rate, is still elite.
Adam Butler, Pac Hoops: Aaron Gordon - He's the second best defender on the best defensive team in the country. It isn't the sexiest output but he's about as effective as there is. His fingerprint is on every basketball game whether he scores or not.