University Southern California Trojans
Claiborne Keeps Earning Accolades
June 21, 1999 | Football
November 30, 1998
HAVE YOU NOTICED WHAT USC'S CHRIS CLAIBORNE HAS DONE THE PAST TWO WEEKS SINCE BEING NAMED A BUTKUS AWARD FINALIST?
-- Against No. 3 UCLA, Claiborne broke up a pass on the game's second play which a Trojan teammate intercepted (leading to a USC field goal), he returned an interception 66 yards to the UCLA 4-yard line to set up a USC touchdown, and he made 7 tackles.
"He might be the best linebacker in the country. He's big and he's fast. He's not only what any college coach cold want, he's what the pros want." -- Al Borges, UCLA offensive coordinator
-- In USC's 10-0 shutout of No. 9 Notre Dame, Claiborne had a game-high 12 tackles (10 solo), he intercepted a pass and he broke up 3 aerials.
"Dear Chris Claiborne: Against Notre Dame, you definitely showed the nation you are its best college linebacker, a certain winner of the Butkus Award." -- Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times
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-- He was named the Football News' National Defensive Player of the Year.
-- He was named a first team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, the American Football Coaches Association, the Walter Camp Foundation and the Football News.
-- He was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
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On the year, Claiborne leads USC in three defensive categories: in tackles with 107 (77 solo), including 7 for losses (with 5 sacks), in interceptions with 6 (which he has returned an average of 26.5 yards, including 2 for touchdowns) and in pass deflections with 16. He is tied for ninth nationally in interceptions at 0.5 (second in the Pac-10) and only 2 players in the nation have more interceptions than Claiborne. He is fifth in the Pac-10 in tackles (8.9 a game).
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"Chris Claiborne has every physical tool a college football player could want. He is built like a defensive end, runs like an antelope and hits like a freight train ... But what makes Claiborne the college level's most complete linebacker is what's between his ears. He does his homework." -- Ken Goe, Oregonian
"If Claiborne played in South Bend or Ann Arbor or Gainesville instead of Los Angeles (where UCLA's Cade McNown is a Heisman contender), the folks at USC would be talking Heisman, not Butkus for Claiborne." -- Scott Reid, Orange County Register
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The Butkus Award will be announced on Dec. 11.
