T.J. McDonald Named Thorpe Award Semifinalist

October 29, 2012 | Football

Oct. 29, 2012

USC senior safety T.J. McDonald has been name one of 15 semifinalists for the 2012 Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to the nation's top defensive back.

McDonald has a team-best 66 tackles along with 3 deflections, an interception and a blocked field goal in 2012 while starting for his third season at free safety. It is the second consecutive year that he has been a Thorpe semifinalist. He also is a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy for the second year in a row.

Three Thorpe Award finalists will be named on Nov. 19. The winner of the Thorpe Award will be named on Dec. 6 and honored at a banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 5, 2013.