USFL Crowns KaVontae Turpin MVP; New Jersey Dominates Season Awards
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USFL Crowns KaVontae Turpin MVP; New Jersey Dominates Season Awards

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The official USFL awards are here. With the inaugural season now complete, the league has announced the winners of each award for 2022. Not surprisingly, the New Jersey Generals absolutely dominated in almost every category.

Let’s take a look at each award winner, and what their season was like in the USFL.

MVP: KaVontae Turpin (New Jersey)

This may come as a bit of a shocker to some, but KaVontae Turpin was sensational this season in the USFL. No matter what game plan Mike Riley implemented, Turpin was always a big part of it. Turpin finished the season as the league leader in receiving yards, with 540. He added four receiving touchdowns on top of that, always finding ways to get open for Luis Perez and DeAndre Johnson.

Not to mention: Turpin was constantly involved in so many other areas of the game. He ran for almost 130 yards, and a rushing touchdown on the year. On top of that, Turpin was the main punt returner for Mike Riley, being the first USFL player to return a punt for a score.

While Turpin isn’t a quarterback, he did just about everything for Riley and the New Jersey Generals: which is why he is certainly deserving of the award.

OPOTY: Darius Victor (New Jersey)

Darius Victor comes away as the USFL’s offensive player of the year. This is another solid pick, as Victor was a massive part of Riley’s offense this season. Victor led the USFL in rushing touchdowns, with nine. He finished third in rushing yards with 577 – averaging 4.5YPC.

Victor’s fun and buoyant attitude is something that his teammates came to love, and so did everyone else involved with the league. His “thick thighs save lives” mantra became a USFL classic, as Darius boasts some, well, thick thighs.

No doubt about it: Darius Victor was incredible from start to finish in the USFL. Without Victor, New Jersey isn’t nearly as potent as they were in 2022.

DPOTY: Chris Odom (Houston)

We all saw this one coming. Chris Odom was ridiculous this year. His presence on the Houston Gambler’s defensive line made them into one of the most feared units in the league. Odom finished the season with 12.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles.

He also racked up 41 tackles, alongside eight tackles for loss. To put it simply, Odom was a menace defensively, and that was the case all season long. While there were other Gamblers who were rumored to win this award (Donald Payne, for example), Odom proved this year why he is one of the best defenders in the USFL. The numbers speak for themselves.

COTY: Mike Riley (New Jersey)

Mike Riley is another New Jersey General that deserves to be on this list. Riley coached the Generals to a 9-1 record, winning nine straight to close out the season.

Riley played a massive role in making the Generals into who they are today. Obviously, he drafted the team – but he spent so much time developing the players, creating chemistry, and orchestrating a game plan that worked. There’s a reason why New Jersey boasts some of the best players in the USFL: Riley did that impressive of a job.

If all goes well for Riley and his squad in the postseason, they will likely be hoisting the first ever USFL Championship trophy on July 3rd.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, there are so many athletes and coaches in the USFL that are deserving of awards. What makes the USFL so special, is the fact that there is elite talent in every organization, across the board.

That being said, these winners were phenomenal in 2022, resulting in the awards being presented to them this season.

What do you think of the inaugural season awards in the USFL? Are there any players that you think were snubbed? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!