page_title: Mid-American Conference football individual awards
section_title: Freshman Player of the Year
hierarchical_section_title: Mid-American Conference football individual awards / Freshman Player of the Year
caption_attribution_description: Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Parade (cropped from original image)
context_page_description: The Mid-American Conference football awards are given annually by the Mid-American Conference at the conclusion of each college football season. The conference gives out a total of five awards, the Offensive, Defensive, and Freshman Players of the Year, the Coach of the Year, and the Vern Smith Leadership Award, which is given to the league's MVP in that season. The Vern Smith Award is selected by a vote of the coaches in the MAC while the remaining awards are selected by the MAC News Media Association.
context_section_description: The Freshman Player of the Year award was first given by the MAC after the 1982 football season.  That year's winner, Brian McClure, won a slew of MAC accords, including Offensive Player of the Year three times, and the Vern Smith award twice.  Ball State, Central Michigan and Western Michigan are tied with the most awards, with players from each school winning five times.
caption: Ben Roethlisberger won the Freshman award in 2001.  Today, his number 7 is retired at Miami University and he has led the Pittsburgh Steelers to two Super Bowl victories.
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