Player Career

Sam Darnold Career Story

Career story, signature performances, transfer context, and season arc are grouped for biography-style searches.

Player Story

Sam Darnold story

Sam Darnold built his college career from 2015 through 2017 as a quarterback from Capistrano Beach, CA wearing No. 14, spending time with USC. The clearest part of Sam Darnold's career was his passing role: 7,229 passing yards, 57 touchdown passes, 846 attempts, and 332 rushing yards across 27 career games in the available record. His largest box-score season came in 2017 with USC. Those numbers show where he fit, how often the ball or action found him, and how his role developed over time.

Quarterback careers are usually judged first by volume, efficiency, and scoring chances. His career also includes 332 rushing yards and 5 tackles, giving the story more than a single-category snapshot. With 27 career games in the available record, his career has enough shape to show both opportunity and production across USC.

The arc is straightforward: Sam Darnold moved through the depth chart, found a larger role, and turned that opportunity into production that can be understood through standard football numbers.

Career Arc

Track team changes, role shifts, and season-to-season movement.

  1. 1

    USC

    2015-2017

    Opening stop

Season Value Progression

20152016201620172017
SeasonTeamPrimaryEfficiencyUsageDelta
2015 Regular SeasonUSC0
2016 PostseasonUSC3,33665.8133,336
2016 Regular SeasonUSC3,33665.8130
2017 PostseasonUSC4,22562.714.8889
2017 Regular SeasonUSC4,22562.714.80

Signature Performances

Top Games

#1 Featured game

@ Ohio State

Week 1 · L 7-24 · Postseason

Loss with 338 yards of offense and 53.7 efficiency.

338

Total Offense

69.8 takeover

338 total offense with 53.7 efficiency.

#2

@ Penn State

Week 1 · W 52-49 · Postseason

473

Total Offense

66.4 takeover

Win with 473 yards of offense and 66.5 efficiency.

473 total offense with 66.5 efficiency.

#3

vs Utah

Week 7 · W 28-27 · Conference game

373

Total Offense

65.7 takeover

Win with 373 yards of offense and 59.7 efficiency.

373 total offense with 59.7 efficiency.

#4

@ Utah

Week 4 · L 27-31 · Conference game

294

Total Offense

65.6 takeover

Loss with 294 yards of offense and 74 efficiency.

294 total offense with 74 efficiency.

#5

@ Colorado

Week 11 · W 38-24 · Conference game

360

Total Offense

65.6 takeover

Win with 360 yards of offense and 85.6 efficiency.

360 total offense with 85.6 efficiency.

Top Seasons

#1 Season by Season Value

2017 Postseason · USC

4,225 primary output · 62.7 efficiency · 14.8 usage

70.6

#2

2017 Regular Season · USC

70.6

4,225 primary · 62.7 efficiency · 14.8 usage

#3

2016 Postseason · USC

62.3

3,336 primary · 65.8 efficiency · 13 usage

Milestones

18

250+ passing yards

12

300+ total offense

11

3+ TD games

17

Above avg efficiency