USC’s Hank Pepper Named Campbell Trophy Semifinalist

LOS ANGELES — USC redshirt senior lengthy snapper Hank Pepper has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, faculty soccer’s premier scholar-athlete award.

Throughout his five-year profession (3 seasons at Michigan State and a couple of seasons at USC), Pepper, a Patrick Mannelly Award candidate, has seen motion in in 39 video games. He has recorded 12 tackles and a couple of fumble recoveries.

As a redshirt junior in 2024, Pepper noticed motion in all 13 video games as USC’s beginning lengthy snapper. He tallied 9 truthful catches pressured, 6 downed punts and three tackles. He additionally recorded an important play towards Wisconsin by recovering a muffed punt on the Badgers’ 30-yard line. This play by Pepper gave the Trojans a brief area which finally resulted in a USC rating. He was double teamed or blocked in protection a number of instances all through the season exhibiting his affect on punt protection. He recorded 1 sort out towards LSU and a couple of tackles towards Nebraska. He was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team.

This season, he continues to see motion because the Trojans’ beginning lengthy snapper and stays a pacesetter within the locker room.

“Hank exemplifies the culture of the USC Football program,” mentioned USC head coach Lincoln Riley. “He’s a team leader on and off the field, he succeeds in the classroom and his work ethic is second to none. As one of the nation’s top long snappers, Hank impacts the game with his outstanding execution as well as his exceptional punt coverage. He’s relentlessly committed to excellence. Hank’s energy is palpable, and he brings out the best in his teammates.” 

Celebrating its 36^th 12 months, the Campbell Trophy acknowledges a person as the very best soccer scholar-athlete within the nation for his mixed tutorial success, soccer efficiency and exemplary management.

The NFF will announce 12-16 finalists on Oct. 22, and every of them will obtain a $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will journey to the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, the place their accomplishments can be highlighted in entrance of some of the highly effective audiences in all of sports activities. Live through the occasion, one member of the category can be declared because the winner of the thirty sixth Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship elevated to $25,000. 

 

Nominated by their faculties, that are restricted to 1 nominee every, candidates for the awards should be a senior who will full his closing 12 months of eligibility within the 2025 season or a graduate pupil or graduate switch who has already earned a level and is taking part within the 2025 season; have a GPA of a minimum of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; have excellent soccer capacity as a primary group participant or important contributor; and have demonstrated robust management and citizenship. The class is chosen every year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally acknowledged group of media, NFF College Football Hall of Famers and athletics directors.