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USC quarterback Caleb Williams headlined the 2022 College Football Awards on Thursday, as he was named the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the winner of the Maxwell Award, given to the best all-around player in college football.

Williams, who is the first USC player since running back Marcus Allen in 1981 to win the Maxwell, accounted for 47 touchdowns while throwing for 4,075 yards and leading USC to an 11-2 season a year after the Trojans went 4-8.

While Williams won both the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards, fellow Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan received the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year award. Duggan threw for 3,725 yards and accounted for 36 touchdowns for TCU this season.

The Horned Frogs took home multiple awards on the night. Safety Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson received the Jim Thorpe award, given to the top defensive back in the sport. Sonny Dykes, having led TCU to an undefeated regular season and a College Football Playoff appearance in his first year, was named the Home Depot Coach of the Year and won the Walter Camp National Coach of the Year Award.

Also in his first season on the job, TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley received the Broyles Award for assistant coach of the year. Riley, the brother of USC coach Lincoln Riley, was the coach behind the Horned Frogs’ explosive year on offense led by Duggan.

For the second year in a row, Alabama‘s Will Anderson Jr. won the Nagurski award. He also won the Chuck Bednarik Award on Thursday. Both are given to the best defensive player.

The Outland Trophy for the nation’s best interior lineman was won by Michigan center Olusegun Oluwatimi, the first Wolverine to capture it. Oluwatimi also won the Rimington Trophy, given to the sport’s best center.

Georgia‘s Brock Bowers became the first Bulldog to win the John Mackey Award for best tight end. Bowers averaged 14 yards a catch this season and added six touchdowns.

Tennessee‘s Jalin Hyatt received the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best wide receiver — the first time a Vols player has won the honor. Hyatt, who had 1,267 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns and six catches of 55 yards or more this season, beat out Ohio State‘s Marvin Harrison Jr.

Though he did not crack the Heisman finalists list, TexasBijan Robinson did win the Doak Walker Award for the best running back in college football. Robinson averaged over six yards per carry and over 130 rushing yards per game, totaling 18 touchdowns.

Florida State lineman Dillan Gibbons was awarded the Wuerffel Trophy, given to the college football player who combines community service with academic and athletic achievement.

Iowa‘s Jack Campbell took home the Dick Butkus Award as the top linebacker. Campbell led the Hawkeyes’ defense and finished his season with 115 total tackles — good for 13th in the nation. Over the weekend, Campbell also won the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy, which honors a college football player who exhibited a combination of “academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.”

Georgia’s Stetson Bennett won the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the sport’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on. Bennett, who led Georgia to a national title last season and will have a chance to repeat this season, is also one of the Heisman finalists for 2022.

Rutgers‘s Adam Korsak won the Ray Guy Award for the best punter after he had the most punts downed inside the 20 (22) of any punter in the nation. NC State‘s Christopher Dunn won the Lou Groza Award for best place-kicker.

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Makar 9th NHL blueliner with 30 goals in season

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Makar 9th NHL blueliner with 30 goals in season

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Avalanche star Cale Makar scored against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night to become the ninth defenseman in the NHL, and the first with Colorado, to score 30 goals in a season.

The sixth-year player is the NHL’s first defenseman to reach the 30-goal mark since Mike Green of the Washington Capitals had 31 in 2008-09.

Makar put the Avalanche up 5-2 by scoring a power-play goal with 38 seconds left in the second period. He was set up in the left circle for a one-timer by a pass from Nathan MacKinnon. He also had two assists as the Avalanche won, 7-3, to clinch their eighth consecutive playoff appearance.

Overall, NHL blue liners have now combined to reach 30 goals 18 times, led by Bobby Orr, who had five 30-goal seasons. Paul Coffey (four) and Denis Potvin (three) are the only others to have had multiple 30-goal seasons. The list is rounded out by Ray Bourque, Kevin Hatcher, Phil Housley and Doug Wilson.

With the goal and two assists, the 26-year-old Makar also increased his point total to 90, matching the franchise record for defenseman he set last season. In doing so, he became the NHL’s fifth defenseman to produce consecutive 90-point seasons, and first since Coffey (1988-89 to 1990-91) and Al MacInnis (1989-90 to 1990-91).

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Oilers keep pace for home ice, but lose Draisaitl

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Oilers keep pace for home ice, but lose Draisaitl

SAN JOSE, Calif. — NHL leading goal scorer Leon Draisaitl left the Edmonton Oilers‘ game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night in the second period because of an undisclosed injury and didn’t return.

Draisaitl appeared to be injured midway through the second period and skated gingerly to the bench before leaving for the dressing room. Coach Kris Knoblauch said after the game that he had no update on the severity of the injury.

Jeff Skinner scored the tiebreaking goal shortly after Draisaitl left the game, giving the Oilers a 3-2 victory that kept them within two points of the Los Angeles Kings in the race for second place in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

“Obviously we’ve had some injuries to key guys,” Skinner said. “It’s a lot of opportunity for other guys to step up and I think guys have done a good job so far. We’re going to have to continue that and keep working together to get the results we want.”

Draisaitl had an assist earlier in the second period. He leads the NHL with 52 goals and is third in the league with 106 points.

Draisaitl sat out four games last month because of an undisclosed injury.

The Oilers are already without star center Connor McDavid, who has been sidelined since colliding with Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey on March 20. McDavid has resumed skating with the team in a noncontact jersey but there is no timetable for his return.

The playoffs begin in just over two weeks.

“You never want to miss those guys,” Knoblauch said. “You never want your top players not to play because every time they’re not in, it decreases your chances of winning because they are good players, obviously. But what happens is other guys have some opportunities to play, get some confidence, hopefully score some goals, because we’re going to need them.”

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Blues’ Holloway exits with lower-body injury

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Blues' Holloway exits with lower-body injury

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis forward Dylan Holloway left the Blues’ 5-4 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first period Thursday night because of a lower-body injury.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery had no additional information on the injury after the game.

“We’ll have more, I’m sure, tomorrow,” Montgomery said.

The team announced the injury during the first intermission and said he would not return to the game. It was not clear when Holloway was injured.

Holloway had eight shifts in the first period.

Holloway has been a driving force in the Blues’ 11-game winning streak, which ties a franchise record. He has 26 goals and 37 assists in 77 games this season.

“Obviously, that’s an elite player for us, someone who plays in all situations, and, you know, a really important piece to our team,” forward Jake Neighbours said. “We had to focus on the task at hand. … it sucked losing Dylan, and just hope he’s OK.”

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