Sam Darnold Named Pac-12 Offensive Player Of The Week
November 14, 2016 | Football
USC redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Darnold was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week based on his performance in USC's 26-13 upset win at No. 4 Washington.
Darnold completed 69.7% of his passes (23-of-33) against the Huskies for 287 yards with 2 TDs and 2 interceptions, and also ran for 15 yards on 4 carries.
He also was named Rose Bowl Game Pac-12 Player of the Week and O'Brien Award Great 8.
On the year, Darnold has compelted 169-of-248 passes (68.1%) for 2,161 yards with 22 TDs and just 6 interceptions, plus he has run for 187 yards on 45 carries (4.2 average) with 2 TDs. He has started the past 7 games as USC has won its last 6 games.
He is among 18 semifinalists for the 2016 O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback. His 165.8 passing efficiency rating and 68.1% completion percentage in 2016 are just shy of Cody Kessler's USC season marks of 167.1 and 69.7% set in 2014. He is the only USC quarterback in history to have back-to-back games with 5 TDs in each (Arizona and California in 2016). He currently is seventh nationally in completion percentage (.681, second in Pac-12), eighth passing efficiency (165.8, second in Pac-12) and 16th in passing TDs (22, fourth in Pac-12). He is fifth in the nation in ESPN's Total Quarterback Rating (86.8). In his 7 starts, he has thrown 20 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. Among freshmen quarterbacks, he is first nationally in passing efficiency (165.8), completion percentage (.681), passing yards per attempt (8.7) and TD passes (22). His 22 TDs in 2016 is a USC freshman season record. His 187 rushing yards in 2016 are the most in a season by a USC quarterback since Reggie Perry's 254 in 1991.
