The end of the USFL 2022 regular season is upon us, which means it is awards time. With the league handing out four awards, which players and coach took home the hardware for the 2022 USFL season?
2022 USFL Awards
MVP: KaVontae Turpin, WR, New Jersey Generals
KaVontae Turpin’s stats underline what an incredible year it was for the Generals. He played in all 10 games, starting seven. During the course of the season, he was targeted 53 times, with 44 receptions, 540 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. His 83 percent catch rate was the highest in the league and the only player with more than 50 targets to have a catch rate above 65 percent.
Turpin’s 12.3 yards per reception ranked 15th in the league, while his 54 yards per game led the league. The four receiving touchdowns was tied for the second-most in the league, behind only Isiah Zuber. Turpin also added 129 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He finished the season with 669 total yards and five total touchdowns. It is no surprise with those stats he takes home the most prestigious award handed out to a player by the USFL.
Offensive Player of the Year: Darius Victor, RB, New Jersey Generals
The Generals having both Turpin and Darius Victor almost seems unfair. Victor’s stats were almost as equally as impressive as Turpin’s. Victor ranked third in rushing yards with 577, averaging 4.5 yards per rush attempt. He led the league when it came to rushing touchdowns, with nine, and ranked fifth in yards per game with 57.7.
Victor added 113 receiving yards and another touchdown. He finished the year with 690 total yards and 10 combined touchdowns to help the Generals to a 9-1 record.
Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Odom, DE, Houston Gamblers
The only player to win an award in the 2022 USFL season who was not part of the Generals franchise was Chris Odom of the Houston Gamblers. Odom had a dominant year for the Gamblers. He finished the season with 12.5 sacks, 41 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and six forced fumbles.
Odom had three 3.5 more sacks than anyone else in the league, and the 91 yards lost on those sacks were 33 more than any other player. His six forced fumbles were more than double the next highest in the league.
Coach of the Year: Mike Riley, New Jersey Generals
The Generals finished tied for the best record in the league at 9-1. They won their final nine games and seven of those were one-score games. Their only loss came in the opening game against the Birmingham Stallions, who handed New Jersey their only loss on a last-minute touchdown.
The Generals scored the second-most points in the USFL in 2022, with only the Stars scoring more. Additionally, they allowed the third-fewest points in the league and were the only team in the North Division to allow fewer than 200 points on the season. Riley is the first coach to win an award in the rebirth of the USFL.