LOS ANGELES — They had Sam Darnold surrounded. He had no opening to scramble, no lane to escape.
Reporters crowded around the USC quarterback at Pac-12 Media Days on Thursday. He drew by far the largest group of any of the 24 players attending the two-day event. He spoke for 25 minutes … then another 48 during lunchtime “one-on-ones,” when media members practically hung on him like would-be sackers.
Welcome to your new life, Sam. After leading the Trojans to nine straight victories last year — including a comeback for the ages against Penn State in the Rose Bowl — the redshirt sophomore is the biggest name on the marquee in the Pac-12. He is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, and he could be the first pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
At this time a year ago, Darnold was the underdog in a battle with Max Browne for the starting QB job. Relatively under-recruited out of San Clemente (Calif.) High, Darnold wasn’t considered a can’t-miss prospect. He wasn’t necessarily the next great USC quarterback. He wasn’t a household name (or even an apartment-hold name).
Now Darnold is a bona fide L.A. celebrity, and it’s fair to wonder how he’s handling his newfound fame. His coach, his roommate and others who spend time around him insist Darnold remains the same modest, easygoing, even-keeled Southern California kid.
“The thing that I’ve been impressed with Sam is his humbleness and humility in the process,” USC coach Clay Helton said. “We all see his skill set, but how he’s approached this offseason from a work-ethic standpoint and trying to progress as a student of the game, our kids see that.”
Junior linebacker Cameron Smith, one of Darnold’s roommates, said the tall, sturdily built redhead gets recognized “a lot” more these days. Smith has paid close attention to the way Darnold interacts with strangers.
“It’s kind of fun to watch people come up to him and stuff – but him stay the same,” Smith said. “It’s not going to his head. He’s out there just kind of living life. He enjoys hanging out with his friends a lot and competing with his brothers. It’s cool to see him remain the same through all this.”
“All this” is, well, it’s a lot. Sudden celebrity can change people, usually not for the better. Darnold tries to stay grounded by remaining close to his family and having a tight circle of friends. He said asking simple questions such as “How was your day?” helps him “feel like a normal person.”
“You never want to lose that,” Darnold said. “The moment you lose your connection with your family and your close friends, that’s the moment you lose yourself.”
Darnold has sought advice from a variety of sources on how to handle himself off the field and deal with the pressure of being the quarterback at USC, whom the media picked to win the Pac-12. He has spoken to predecessors Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley. He talked to Larry Fitzgerald at The Opening, a Nike quarterback competition. He picked the brains of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning at the Manning Passing Academy.
Darnold conceded to being “star-struck” at first by the Mannings. They quickly put him at ease.
“The biggest takeaway there was the way they treated people and the way they carried themselves off the field,” Darnold said. “They have every right to act like ‘The Guy.’ They act like normal guys. They treated everyone with respect. I think there’s something to be said for that.”
Darnold — who passed for 3,086 yards with 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a redshirt freshman — also takes cues from his head coach. Helton learned from his father, longtime college and pro coach Kim Helton, how important it is to be genuine in a position of authority. Helton hasn’t changed since rising from QB coach to interim coach to full-time coach at USC, and his players – Darnold especially – can sense that.
“He doesn’t sound any different than when he was recruiting me, when he was the quarterback coach/offensive coordinator,” Darnold said. “That’s his biggest advice that he’s given me — to never change. To always stay yourself.”
How long the Helton-Darnold partnership will last already is a source of speculation. The 2017 season hasn’t begun, and the two have been answering questions about whether Darnold will enter the ’18 draft.
Helton was asked Thursday what advice he has for Darnold as he navigates through that process.
“Capture the now. Capture this moment. Capture today,” Helton said. “If you’re worried about things that could happen five, six, seven months (from now), you’re not becoming a better football player and you’re not helping yourself.
“So thank goodness he is who he is.”
