Canton, OH - As the Championship game draws near, the USFL announced the winners of the yearly awards during the week leading up to the game.
OPOY: Mark Thompson, RB Houston Gamblers
In a season that saw teams favor the aerial attack, Mark Thompson was a unicorn of sorts. Throw in the fact that he missed 20% of the season and still ended the year with the most touchdowns of all running backs and it shows why he was a favorite for the Offensive Player of the Year award. Thompson beat out MVP favorites Alex McGough (QB - Birmingham) and McLeod Bethel-Thompson (QB - New Orleans).
DPOY: Matt Ginda, LB Michigan Panthers
On the defensive side, Matt Ginda took home the hardware for Defensive Player of the Year. Ginda beat out teammate Breeland Speaks (league leading 9 sacks) and Pittsburgh Maulers LB Kyahva Tezino (2nd in tackles) and CB Mark Gilbert (League Leading 4 Interceptions). On top of the stats listed above in the USFL announcement on Twitter, Ginda also hauled in the 2nd most interceptions with 3 on the year.
Special Teams Player of the Year: Derrick Dillion, KR
Derrick Dillon, a former LSU Tiger, takes home the award for the specialists, beating out the likes of the Stallions Deon Cain and the Maulers Josh Simmons, along with kicker Luis Aguilar of the Philadelphia Stars. Along with his 109-yard return off a Chris Blewitt missed FG, he led off their week 10 match-up with the Birmingham Stallions with a 90-yard touchdown return.
MVP, Sportsman of the Year to be Announced Friday
At the Year-end press conference and Championship Media Day, USFL President Daryl "Moose" Johnston will present the MVP and Sportsman of the year awards. Each team elected a representative for the Sportsman of the Year, while the MVP race appears from the outside to be a two pony race with the top two statistical quarterbacks the front runners in Alex McGough and McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
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