Special Teams Player of The Year
The Special Teams Player of the Year award is given to the player voted best on special teams. The recipient can either be a placekicker, punter, returner, or a position known as a gunner. The first winner was Kevin Williams, a returner from Miami. Andy Lee, a Pittsburgh punter, and Cincinnati kick returner Mardy Gilyard are the only players to receive the award more than once.
There have been 24 recipients, with ties in 2002 and 2003. Of the award recipients, 12 have been seniors, nine juniors, and three sophomores. Three placekickers have won the award, most recently Virginia Tech's Shayne Graham in 1999. Todd Sauerbrun was the first punter to win after he was a unanimous selection in 1994.
Notably, Temple players received both the Special Teams Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year (see below) awards in 2012, the first year of the Owls' current Big East tenure. During Temple's previous tenure in Big East football from 1991 to 2004, the Owls received only one conference award.
Read more about this topic: Big East Conference Football Awards
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