For the second straight season, cornerback Adoree Jackson was named USC’s MVP at the football banquet tonight. Sam Darnold, who could have been named MVP, was the most inspirational player. Full list of award winners after the jump:
Most Valuable Player: cornerback-wide receiver-returner Adoree’ Jackson
Most Inspirational Player: quarterback Sam Darnold
Trojan Way Leadership Award: inside linebacker Cameron Smith
Trojan Commitment Award: tailback Justin Davis, safety Leon McQuay III
Linemen of the Year: offensive tackles Zach Banner and Chad Wheeler (offense), defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu (defense)
Perimeter Players of the Year: wide receivers Darreus Rogers and JuJu Smith-Schuster (offense), cornerback-wide receiver-returner Adoree’ Jackson (defense)
Special Teams Player of the Year: cornerback-wide receiver-returner Adoree’ Jackson
Service Team Players of the Year: tight end Cary Angeline (offense), outside linebackers Oluwole Betiku and Connor Murphy (defense)
Jack Oakie “Rise and Shine” Award (year’s most electrifying run): tailback Ronald Jones II
Player of the Game Vs. UCLA: wide receiver De’Quan Hampton
Player of the Game Vs. Notre Dame: cornerback-wide receiver-returner Adoree’ Jackson
Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award (overall academic achievement): quarterback Max Browne
Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): quarterback Sam Darnold
John McKay Award (underclassman with the most competitive spirit): outside linebackers Porter Gustin and Uchenna Nwosu
Joe Collins Walk-on Award: inside linebacker Grant Moore
Chris Carlisle Courage Award: inside linebacker Michael Hutchings
Community Service Award: offensive tackle Zach Banner
Lifters Award: tailback Justin Davis, fullback Reuben Peters (offense), outside linebacker Porter Gustin (defense), special teams’ specialists
Captains: offensive tackle Zach Banner, quarterback Max Browne, cornerback-wide receiver-returner Adoree’ Jackson, inside linebacker Michael Hutchings
Sam Darnold’s the MVP
Darnold was a no-brainer. I guess it shows how likeable Adoree is with his teammates.
Then Adoree Jackson should have played quarterback, and that would have led to no Bowl game, and Clay Helton looking for a job . The MVP wins football games, not popularity contests…IMO
So does that mean Darnold would have been as good or better than A. Jackson, had he played cornerback?
Darnold was the real MVP, but your argument holds no water.
Ok, thanks
Darnold made up for the deficiency in the offensive line that killed us vs Alabama and Stanford. Banners size his is biggest attribute.
That was the thing that makes Sam special. His creativity bought time and allowed the receivers to get open downfield and then he had the Rodney Peete-like ability to make the throws on the run, while about to get clobbered or off his back foot when others like Rosen would have missed the target or been intercepted.
I’m surprised Rosen didn’t sprain his nose, the guy could smoke a cigar in the rain.
It’s a new Golly Nerd sock puppet.
Darnold doesn’t play for ucla little gutty. Your so-called hotshot QB didn’t make up for any bruin deficiencies.
This guy must be still working at mcDonalds, like most bRuins end up doing.
Then Adoree is the teams Most Outstanding Player.
I guess the fact that Adoree plays on both offense and defense helped put him above Sam Darnold, but it had to be a tight decision.
For the first time in a long time USC has more than one receiver who can catch or Darnold picks the open receiver and doesn’t force his pass to the big name.
Next year and offensive line wouldbe nice.
Adoree played on both offense and defense while the team went 1-3. Darnold turned to team into a winner.
Yes sir!
But without Adoree we do not beat Washington, we do not beat Notre Dame, and we possibly lose to Colorado.
Huh? Darnold was 25-37 for 358 yards passing and ran for 33 yards against Colorado and turned the season around that game with his escapability, making up for our mediocre offensive line pass blocking.
Against Colorado, Darnold fumbled twice, killing two scoring opportunities. USC only won by four, Adoree shut down Shay Fields and had a huge INT that eventually resulted in 7 points.
USC won against the Huskies on the strength of the defense. Except for when he slipped, Adoree shutdown John Ross all day. Alone. On an island. Allowed Clancey to do more with Tell and Hawkins and McQuay, effectively shutting down UW running game.
Adoree had one bad game, when he was asked to be on an island against Patrick, who has at least 7 inches on him, and that was a game when USC still had no inside pass rush, allowing Williams to step up in the pocket and slowly pick USC apart.
I am not minimizing Darnold, and without him we might have seen Jalen Greene at the end of the year, because Max Browne is not a very good QB and even worse, is a terrible fit for this offense. But even with Darnold and without Adoree, we might be looking at 6-6.
You seem to have forgotten that Darnold completed 3 clutch passes to run out the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter and seal the win over Colorado including the final dagger, a 25 yard pass to Ju Ju Smith-Schuster. That makes him MVP.
What kind of logic is that? Using that logic, Darreus Rogers, who turned a likely interception into a game-breaking catch that helped turn a tie game to a 21-14 lead, should be the MVP.
And you seem to have forgotten that Darnold didn’t exactly play well against ND. Without Adoree, no win, no Rose Bowl.
The logic is that Darnold ran the team with cool precision making the most of a flawed team like Rodney Peete his senior year. He has done everything that has been asked of him at a level we haven’t seen since Pete Carroll left, Anyone reasonable would not expect a redshirt freshman to perform this well. Adoree is great but Darnold is one in a generation.
Sorry couldn’t resist. But you both have good arguments.
Adoree is the MVP, but the “Baby Quarterback” is the real hero!
… that’s “Baby Receiver” now.
Don’t give sw any ideas.
Lots to build on for next year…FIGHT ON!
Without either Darnold or Adoree, USC would have been toast this year. Technically, they’re co-MVPs, both invaluable.
But since Adoree’s a three-year starter as a junior, a team captain and a unanimous first-team All-America, one of only 28 in the history of USC, as well as the Thorpe winner and Darnold’s merely the Pac-12 frosh offensive POY, it’s a no brainer to give Adoree the MVP, especially since he single-handedly killed Notre Dame, our biggest rival.
The Bob Chandler and Most Inspirational are perfect for Darnold, USC’s next Heisman finalist.
Get ready to beat Penn State
What’s a “most inspiration player”?
Outside LB Tayler Katoa just choose USC over Washington and Utah. That gives USC 14 recruits in the class and USC jumps Washington for #1 class in the PAC12.
Awesome. He was having second thoughts last night and put it off till today. Big get because we need MLB’s.
Hector what was your name before it became Hector of Troy?
This blog isn’t the same since Chucker Buck has been MIA. He was wittier than all the trogan posters put together.
#blogisboringnow
What happened to Chuckles? Without him, it’s just Owns, who understand sports a little better, but his approach to trolling is like using a dull machete to cut through a dense forest.
I miss Chuckles.
He is a broken man living in the gutter on Skid Row, drowning his sorrows in Ripple since Hillary broke his heart November 9th at 1:30AM when Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan went for Trump.
Darnold stepped up and did a great Job.
For all intensive purposes that’s what he is suppose to do…
AJ is MVP because amid all the Chaos over the past few seasons he has been a consistent positive voice cutting through the din of negativity surrounding these boys.
AJ IS A GREAT ATHLETE. AJ HAS THE GIFT.
AJ is a decent young man whose is carrying the hopes and dreams of his family and those who knew him when…
I hope Mr. Jackson gets paid well at the next level, he has been fun to watch in Cardinal and Gold.
That’s what he supposed to do? Then why can’t any other quarterback in the Pac 12 do what he is supposed to do ?
Is not the goal of competitive athletes is to excel at the highest level?
Darnold did special work and I hold his talent in the highest regard.
I also believe that Darnold is no where near his ceiling,
Sam Mojorisin’ Darnold will achieve even greater things!
Right now however is AJ’S time is all I am trying to convey…
😀
Sam was great. No doubt about that. But everyone seems to forget that Adoree Jackson and Iman Marshall had to deal with the fact that USC had no pass rush for much of the year and that mad their jobs that much tougher. If anything their coverage allowed us to get to the Qb in the first 6-7 games because we all know that our pass rush was seriously behind. That says alot about Adoree.
Adoree Jackson is so much fun to watch. Truly a very talented individual.