USC DB Adoree' Jackson was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and QB Sam Darnold was named the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman Player of the Year to headline the Trojans' conference honors announced today.Click here for the full release!
Jackson made the conference's first team at both DB and RS, and became USC's seventh Defensive Player of the Year winner and first since Rey Maualuga in 2008. He ranks third in the Pac-12 in passes defended (15) and second in interceptions (4). He leads the conference in both punt return average (15.9) and kickoff return average (30.5).
Jackson is joined by offensive linemen Zach Banner and Chad Wheeler on the conference's first team. Banner and Wheeler, the two senior starters on USC's offensive line, led a unit that allowed the fewest sacks in the Pac-12 this year (11).
Banner, Wheeler and Damien Mama, who earned second-team honors, helped pave the way for USC's two other second-team offensive players: RB Ronald Jones II (1,027 rush yards, 12 total TD) and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (781 receiving yards, 9 TD).
LB Cam Smith (79 tackles, 7 TFL, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery) and NT Stevie Tu'ikolovatu (45 tackles, 2 TFL) also earned spots on the Pac-12 second team.
QB Sam Darnold was named the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year for giving the Trojans the "spark" they were looking for. He is 8-1 as a starter and leads the nation's freshmen in completion pct (68.1), TD passes (26) and passing efficiency (161.01). Those 26 TD are a USC freshman record. Darnold is USC's fifth player to win this award, and the first since Marqise Lee in 2011.
Darnold also earned Pac-12 honorable mention, along with DL Rasheem Green, LB Porter Gustin, S Chris Hawkins, LB Michael Hutchings, TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe, CB Iman Marshal, S Leon McQuay III and WR Darreus Rogers.
