USC wide receiver Drake London sure seemed like the favorite for the prestigious Biletnikoff Award -- honoring college football's top pass-catcher -- before sustaining a season-ending fractured ankle two weekends ago.
Despite the injury, the Trojans are making the case that London should still be the favorite for award.
And there is at least a case to be made.
Even after missing the last 1.5 games, London nonetheless still leads all Power 5 receivers with 88 catches -- 14 more than North Carolina's Josh Downs -- and 1,084 yards.
He's second nationally in catches overall behind Western Kentucky's Jerreth Sterns and third in yards behind Sterns and Utah State's Deven Thompkins.
So USC started an e-mail campaign Monday on London's behalf, directed at Biletnikoff Award voters. Here's a copy of the e-mail that was sent out:
Why SHOULDN’T injured Drake London win the Biletnikoff Award??
Sure, the USC junior wide receiver is out for the regular season’s final 4 games with a broken ankle suffered on a tackle while catching a touchdown late in first half of Game 8, but we hope you will CONSIDER LONDON’S BODY OF WORK IN 2021. His case for the award is strong:
•88 receptions for 1,084 yards with 7 TDs in just 7.5 games in 2021
•He remains the nation's top-ranked receiver by Pro Football Focus
•At the time of his injury, he was the leading candidate for the Biletnikoff Award
•He was a 2021 Mid-Season All-American by numerous outlets
•He currently is second in the nation in receptions (11.0) and third in receiving yards (135.5)
•Using an average-receptions-per-game projection, his 8-game total of 88 catches will surpass all but a dozen of the nation's receivers who will play a full 12-game season
•He and Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree in 2007 are the only Power 5 players ever with 88 catches through 8 games
•Before getting hurt, he was on pace to break Biletnikoff Award winner Marqise Lee’s 2012 USC season records in catches (118) and receiving yards (1,721) ​
•He had 5 games this season with 10 or more catches and 6 with at least 130 receiving yards
•He’s the only Trojan ever to twice have 15 or more catches in a game
•He’s the first Trojan with 5 consecutive 100-yard receiving outings since Lee in 2012
•He has a reception in 21 consecutive games, dating to 2019
