College Football awards are given out at the end of the season, therefore there’s a lot of watchlists. Here’s the rest of them, plenty of USC players represented.
Butkus Award
Created in 1985 the Butkus award is given to those who are the best at the position of linebacker and who give back to the community. A USC player has only won this one other time, Chris Claiborne in 1998. Currently the Trojans don’t have any LBs like this, this is one of the positions of concern for USC.
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Established in 1986 for the nations top defensive back, the Trojans didn’t have anyone represented in the watchlist. They have had two past winners however, Adoree Jackson in 2016 and Mark Carrier in 1989.
Jackson during the season had five interceptions, 11 passes defended and a forced fumble and recovery. He also had 55 total tackles, two of them for loss. Carrier had seven Ints the year he won it.
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The USC representative for this award watchlist is junior Tuli Tuipulotu. Last season he had 48 total tackles, seven and a half of them were for loss and five and a half were sacks. He also forced two fumbles, one of which he returned for a touchdown. A USC Trojan has never won this trophy before.
Outland Trophy
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Tuipulotu is also on the watchlist for this trophy as well, Although he is joined by fellow Trojan fifth year senior guard Andrew Vorhees. A trophy for interior linemen, only once has someone at USC won it. It was Ron Yary in 1967.
Lou Groza Award
Created in 1992 for the nations best kicker, USC does not have a special teams unit to write home about. Their kicker isn’t on the watchlist and no USC kicker has ever won it.
Ray Guy Award
Made in 2000, this award is for the nations best punter. USC has never produced a winner for it and their current punter didn’t make the preseason watchlist.
Paul Hornung Award
An award for versatile playmakers, junior Brenden Rice is on the watchlist for USC. Last year at Colorado Rice had 21 receptions for 299 yards and three TDs, he also rushed six times for 54 yards. USC has never won this award before.
Wuerffel Trophy
Former Oklahoma and current USC QB Caleb Williams is on the watchlist for this award. Coming off a stellar freshman season where he threw for 1,912 yards, 21 TDs, four Ints and completed 64.5 percent of his passes (He also rushed for 442 yards and six TDs). The sophomore has a lot of hype to try and handle.
Former USC QB Matt Barkley is the only Trojan to win this award, back in 2012.
Walter Camp Award
Williams is also on the watchlist for this award, junior Jordan Addison is as well. Last season at Pittsburgh, Addison won the Biletnikoff and one of the most prolific seasons for a wide receiver. He had 100 receptions for 1,593 yards and 17 TDs, he also rushed for 56 yards and had a TD.
In the past the Trojans have won this award six times. O.J. Simpson won it back to back years in 1967 and 1968 where he had 3423 yards and 36 TDs over the two seasons.
Charles White won it in 1979 with 2.050 yards and 19 TDs, his teammate Marcus Allen then won it in 1981 where he rushed for 2427 yards and 22 TDs.
Matt Leinart won it in 2004 after throwing for 3322 yards, 33 TDs, six Ints and completed 65.3 percent of his passes. His teammate Reggie Bush won it a year later in 2005 after rushing for 1740 yards and 16 TDs. He also had 37 receptions for 478 yards and two TDs.
Bednarik Award
Given to the most outstanding defensive player by the Maxwell Football Club, Tuipulotu is also on this award’s preseason watchlist. The only USC player to win this award is Rey Maualuga, back in 2008.
Continue to follow the Trojans here at Gridiron Heroics, here’s an article on the major benefits of coaching at USC.
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