Auburn football: Gus Malzahn named AP SEC Coach of the Year, Tre Mason SEC Offensive Player of the Year

The Associated Press released its postseason All-SEC teams and conference player and coach of the year Monday, and Tre Mason and Gus Malzahn took top honors. Mason was tabbed as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and Malzahn was named SEC Coach of the Year.

Mason has been a workhorse all season at running back for Auburn, getting better and better as the year has progressed. Going into the BCS Championship Game, he has 1,621 yards and 22 touchdowns on 283 carries, both of which lead the conference, and he's averaging 5.7 yards per rush. His 21.8 carries and 124.7 yards per game both lead the SEC, as well. In Auburn's 59-42 SEC Championship Game win over Missouri on Saturday, Mason ran 46 times for 304 yards and four TDs, breaking SEC title game records in each category.

He's rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of his last eight games, failing to reach the mark only in a limited performance against overmatched Florida Atlantic. During that stretch, Mason has rushed for 1,206 yards and 17 scores. In the last two weeks against the SEC's top two rushing defenses in Alabama and Mizzou, he put up a combined 468 yards and found the end zone five times.

Malzahn is a no-brainer for conference coach of the year, and he will likely receive national honors, too. In one season on the job, he's turned Auburn around from a disastrous 3-9 campaign, a season in which the Tigers went winless in conference play for the first time since 1950, to a 12-1 record, an SEC title and a shot at a national championship. Auburn's offense, one of the nation's worst a year ago, has averaged 40.2 points and 505.3 yards per game, ranking 11th nationally in both categories. The Tigers' 335.7 rushing yards per game leads the country.

Perhaps even more impressive has been Auburn's defensive turnaround. The Tigers have allowed a bunch of yards (423.5 per game) but their scoring defense ranks 34th at 24.0 points per contest. They've made many more big plays compared to a season ago, ranking in the SEC's top three in sacks and tackles for loss and compiling 13 interceptions, 11 more than in 2012.

Ten Auburn players were named to the AP's All-SEC teams. Mason, offensive tackle Greg Robinson and defensive end Dee Ford were named to the first team; center Reese Dismukes, tight end C.J. Uzomah and cornerback Chris Davis were named to the second team; and quarterback Nick Marshall, star Robenson Therezie, defensive tackle Gabe Wright and punter Steven Clark received honorable mention consideration.

The complete list of postseason AP honors is as follows:

FIRST TEAM

Offense

WR - Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 205, Sr.

WR - Mike Evans, Texas A&M, 6-5, 225, So.

L - Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State, 6-4, 340, Sr.

L - Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama, 6-6, 310, Jr.

L - Jake Matthews, Texas A&M, 6-5, 305, Sr.

L - t-Justin Britt, Missouri, 6-6, 315, Sr.

L - t-Greg Robinson, Auburn, 6-5, 320, So.

L - t-Anthony Steen, Alabama, 6-3, 309, Sr.

C - Travis Swanson, Arkansas, 6-5, 315, Sr.

TE - Arthur Lynch, Georgia, 6-5, 254, Sr.

QB - Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, 6-1, 210, So.

RB - u-Tre Mason, Auburn, 5-10, 205, Jr.

RB - Jeremy Hill, LSU, 6-2, 235, So.

K - Marshall Morgan, Georgia, 6-3, 200, So.

All-Purpose - Odell Beckham Jr., LSU, 6-0, 193, Jr.

Defense

E - u-Michael Sam, Missouri, 6-2, 255, Sr.

E - Dee Ford, Auburn, 6-2, 240, Sr.

T - Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina, 6-4, 298, Jr.

E - t-Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina, 6-6, 274, Jr.

E - t-Kony Ealy, Missouri, 6-5, 275, Jr.

LB - u-C.J. Mosley, Alabama, 6-2, 232, Sr.

LB - Ramik Wilson, Georgia, 6-2, 232, Jr.

LB - A.J. Johnson, Tennessee, 6-2, 243, Jr.

CB - E.J. Gaines, Missouri, 5-11, 195, Sr.

CB - Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida, 5-11, 192, Fr.

S - Cody Prewitt, Mississippi, 6-2, 220, Jr.

S - Kenny Ladler, Vanderbilt, 6-1, 205, Sr.

P - Cody Mandell, Alabama, 6-3, 213, Sr.

SECOND TEAM

Offense

WR - Jarvis Landry, LSU, 6-1, 195, Jr.

WR - Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri, 6-6, 225, So.

L - Ja'Waun James, Tennessee, 6-6, 316, Sr.

L - t-Wesley Johnson, Vanderbilt, 6-5, 295, Sr.

L - t-Antonio Richardson, Tennessee, 6-6, 327, Jr.

L - t-Laremy Tunsil, Mississippi, 6-5, 315, Fr.

L - t-Trai Turner, LSU, 6-3, 316, So.

C - Reese Dismukes, Auburn, 6-3, 297, Jr.

TE - t-Evan Engram, Mississippi, 6-3, 217, Fr.

TE - t-Hunter Henry, Arkansas, 6-6, 250, Fr.

TE - t-C.J. Uzomah, Auburn, 6-4, 258, Jr.

QB - Aaron Murray, Georgia, 6-1, 208, Sr.

RB - T.J. Yeldon, Alabama, 6-2, 218, So.

RB - t-Todd Gurley, Georgia, 6-1, 232, So.

RB - t-Mike Davis, South Carolina, 5-9, 215, So.

K - Zach Hocker, Arkansas, 6-0, 191, Sr.

All-Purpose - Christion Jones, Alabama, 5-11, 185, Jr.

Defense

E - Alvin Dupree, Kentucky, 6-4, 252, Jr.

T - Anthony Johnson, LSU, 6-3, 294, Jr.

E - Dante Fowler Jr., Florida, 6-3, 266, So.

LB - Avery Williamson, Kentucky, 6-1, 238, Sr.

LB - t-Lamin Barrow, LSU, 6-23, 232, Sr.

LB - t-Serderius Bryant, Mississippi, 5-9, 215, Jr.

LB - t-Trey DePriest, Alabama, 6-2, 245, Jr.

LB - t-Sharrod Golightly, South Carolina, 5-10, 195, Jr.

LB - t-Denzel Nkemdiche, Mississippi, 5-11, 207, So.

LB - t-Andrew Wilson, Missouri, 6-3, 240, So.

CB - Andre Hal, Vanderbilt, 6-0, 186, Sr.

CB - t-Chris Davis, Auburn, 5-11, 200, Sr.

CB - t-Victor Hampton, South Carolina, 5-10, 202, Jr.

CB - t-Loucheiz Purifoy, Florida, 6-0, 190, Jr.

S - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama, 6-1, 208, Jr.

S - Landon Collins, Alabama, 6-0, 215, So.

P - Drew Kaser, Texas A&M, 6-3, 205, So.

HONORABLE MENTION

Offense

Nick Marshall, QB, Auburn, 6-1, 210, Jr.; AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama, 6-4, 214, Sr.; Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU, 6-5, 235, Sr.

Defense

Steven Clark, P, Auburn, 6-5, 230, Sr.; Ego Ferguson, T, LSU, 6-3, 309, Jr.; Markus Golden, E, Missouri, 6-3, 260, Jr.; Brandon Ivory, T, Alabama, 6-4, 310, Jr.; Chris Jones, T, Mississippi St., 6-5, 305, Fr.; Craig Loston, S, LSU, 6-2, 209, Sr.; Michael Palardy, P, Tennessee, 5-11, 185, Sr.; Vinnie Sunseri, S, Alabama, 6-0, 210, Jr.; Robenson Therezie, S, Auburn, 5-9, 204, Jr.; Nickoe Whitley, S, Mississippi St., 6-1, 205, Sr.; Gabe Wright, T, Auburn, 6-3, 296, Jr.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Tre Mason, Auburn

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Michael Sam, Missouri

COACH OF THE YEAR

Gus Malzahn, Auburn

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Alex Collins, Arkansas