USC CB Adoree' Jackson was named the Trojans' Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row tonight at the football team's annual awards banquet.Jackson, a 2016 unanimous All-American and Thorpe Award recipient, is just the ninth Trojan to earn two MVP awards during his USC career. He also earned USC Special Teams Player of the Year, Defensive Perimeter Player of the Year and Player of the Game vs. Notre Dame this season.
USC QB Sam Darnold was named the team's Most Inspirational Player and won the Bob Chandler Award, given annually to the underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character.
LB Cameron Smith earned the Trojan Way Leadership Award, while fellow LBs Porter Gustin and Uchenna Nwosu earned the John McKay Award, given to the underclassmen with the most competitive spirit. Unsurprisingly, Gustin was the defensive recipient of the Lifters Award. RB Justin Davis and FB Reuben Peters earned the Offensive Lifters Award, and the Zach Smith accepted the award on behalf of the specialists.
Davis and senior safety Leon McQuay III earned the Trojan Commitment Award. Fellow seniors Zach Banner and Chad Wheeler (offense) and Stevie Tu'ikolovatu (defense) were named Linemen of the Year. Banner also earned the Community Service Award for his work at USC and at local schools this year.
Senior LB Michael Hutchings, who lost his father years ago but persevered to become a team leader, earned the Chris Carlisle Courage Award.
Walk-on LB Grant Moore won the Joe Collins Walk-On Award and freshman LBs Oluwole Betiku and Connor Murphy won Defensive Service Team Players of the Year. TE Cary Angeline was the recipient on the offensive side of the ball.
WRs Darreus Rogers and JuJu Smith-Schuster were named the Offensive Perimeter Players of the Year and WR De'Quan Hampton earned the Player of the Game vs. UCLA award.
The Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award for the year's most electrifying run went to RB Ronald Jones II for his 60-yard TD run against UCLA in the Rose Bowl.
Max Browne, who is pursuing his MBA at USC, earned the Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award for overall academic achievement. He and the other team captains (Hutchings, Banner and Jackson) were also awarded for their leadership this season.
