Chris Claiborne Named USC's Most Valuable Player
June 21, 1999 | Football
December 10, 1998
LOS ANGELES--Junior linebacker Chris Claiborne, a consensus All-American first teamer and a finalist for the Butkus Award, was named the Most Valuable Player of the Sun Bowl-bound USC football team at the annual awards banquet Thursday night (Dec. 10) at the Regal Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
Claiborne, also the 1998 Football News National Defensive Player of the Year and Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, led USC in 1998 in tackles with 107 (including 7 for losses, with 5 sacks), deflections with 16 and interceptions with 6 (including 2 for TDs), plus he forced a fumble.
Senior defensive tackle Marc Matock, who posted 35 tackles despite missing 5 mid-season games with a broken ankle, was named USC's Most Inspirational Player. Junior offensive guard Travis Claridge and sophomore defensive tackle Ennis Davis, both All-Pac-10 first team picks, were USC's Linemen of the Year, while soph safety Ifeanyi Ohalete was USC's Special Teams Player of the Year. Senior kicker Adam Abrams, a 2-time Pac-10 All-Academic first teamer with a 3.36 GPA in business administration, recevied the Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award and the John Wayne Memorial Scholarship.
A complete list of the awards:
Most Valuable Player: linebacker Chris Claiborne
Most Inspirational Player: defensive tackle Marc Matock
Linemen of the Year: offensive guard Travis Claridge (offense), defensive
tackle Ennis Davis (defense)
Special Teams Player of the Year: safety Ifeanyi Ohalete
Black Shirt Players of the Year (top scout team players): offensive guard
Zach Wilson (offense), linebacker Rocky Seto (defense)
Player of the Game versus Notre Dame: safety Rashard Cook
Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award (longest run of the year): tailback
Frank Strong (73 yards versus Florida State)
Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award (for overall academic
achievement): placekicker Adam Abrams
John Wayne Memorial Scholarship (for the player with aspirations to
continue in higher education): placekicker Adam Abrams
Bob Chandler Award (for the underclassman with outstanding athletic
ability, academic achievement and character): defensive tackle Aaron Williams
Team Captains: wide receiver Billy Miller, tailback Chad Morton,
placekicker Adam Abrams, linebacker Chris Claiborne
