Sam Darnold Offers Candid Perspective on Turbulent Journey to USC

In the past couple of years, former USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold has revived his NFL career and legacy. First, many viewed him as a bust on the New York Jets, then he became a backup quarterback on a few rosters. Once he was given an opportunity with the Minnesota Vikings, the former first-round pick showed he could play with the best of them and ultimately won Super Bowl LX with the Seattle Seahawks.

While his pro career has the makings of a Hollywood film, Darnold’s path from high school to USC was also a battle. During an appearance on The San Clemente Podcast, the former Trojan revealed more about his path to Southern Cal.

Dec 29, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold (14) in action before the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Becoming a Starting Quarterback and Dealing With Injury

Throughout youth sports, Darnold played on both sides of the ball – quarterback, receiver, tight end and linebacker. Darnold continued being a two-way player for his freshman and sophomore seasons at San Clemente High School (Calif.).

“I loved doing that. My conditioning is better than it's ever been, I’m catching touchdowns, I'm hitting people. I’m really loving my role,” Darnold said on The San Clemente Podcast about playing both offense and defense. “I never felt pressure playing quarterback, but it was cool to let loose … It definitely has helped my mentality throughout my entire career.”

During his sophomore season, Darnold’s former head coach, Jaime Ortiz, wanted him to start getting experience on Friday nights. With a senior quarterback ahead of him, Darnold got reps at receiver and linebacker. Then the senior starter went down with an injury, which made way for Darnold to finish the season and become the starter for the next two years.

Jul 17, 2018; Marina del Rey, CA, USA; New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold during the Gatorade Athlete of the Year Awards at The Ritz-Carlton. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Shortly after his sophomore season, Darnold received an offer from Utah, but USC was still the dream destination for the young gunslinger.

At the beginning of his junior year, Darnold broke his foot in the third game of the season. What would have been his first full season as a starter was cut short, leaving Darnold with only two and a half games under his belt once the next offseason rolled in.

Receiving an Offer From the USC Trojans

With no offers rolling in, Darnold and his family decided the best course of action was to get noticed at camps.

“I ended up going to an Oakland Regional with my dad. I had no intention of making the Elite 11. I just wanted to go to this camp, be seen by a couple of guys that know what they're doing, get some good coaching,” Darnold shared on The San Clemente Podcast.

Surely enough, Darnold’s outing at the camp earned him a selection for the Elite 11. But there was still no word from USC. So for the remainder of the summer, Darnold and his father took trips out to Duke, Northwestern, Oregon and Utah – USC was the last stop on the trip.

“These are the schools I want to go to, then I’m going to visit USC just to throw for them. If I get offered, I get offered,” Darnold said on The San Clemente Podcast. “I probably threw 20 footballs at that thing … Coach [Steve Sarkisian] took me to his office and offered me on the spot.”

Jan 2, 2017; Pasadena, CA, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates on the podium after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2017 Rose Bowl game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The rest is history. Darnold went on to record 2,985 passing yards and 785 rushing yards, 39 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns during his senior year while leading his team to the CIF-Southern Section Southwest Division championship game.

At USC, Darnold brought life back to the program by winning the Rose Bowl and Pac-12 Championship in 2017. He finished his tenure with the Trojans with 7,229 passing yards and 70 total, and a 20-4 record as a starter.

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