Earlier this season, USC head coach Steve Sarkisian said if running back Buck Allen continued on the pace he was on, he'd be up for some "pretty cool" awards at the end of the season.
Well, the head coach may be right.
Allen was announced as a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, given to the College Football Player of the Year.
On Monday, in a letter mailed to the school from the Heisman Trust, Allen was notified he is a "potential candidate" for the Heisman Trophy.
The letter was signed by Rob Whalen, the Executive Director of the Heisman Memorial Trophy. It states that finalists for the award will be announced Dec. 8 and the award will be handed out Dec. 13.
The 2014 season began with Allen's name being thrown around as a possible Heisman contender. Heismanpundit.com had Allen listed 10th on its Heisman Watch List back in August.
There was a thought that he may have fallen out of contention last month following the team's loss to Arizona State -- its second loss of the season.
USC RB Buck Allen has been officially notified that he is a "potential candidate" for the Heisman Trophy. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/XtucYG5qzB
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) November 10, 2014
The letter signed by Whalen, however, says otherwise.
The last time the Trojans took the field, Allen rushed 19 times for 114 yards in a win at Washington State. It was Allen's sixth consecutive 100-yard rushing game -- the most by a Trojan since 1981 when Marcus Allen did it 11 times in a row during his Heisman winning season.
Allen has eight 100-yard rushing games on the season, which is the most in a season since Reggie Bush in 2005.
On the season, he's rushed for 1,124 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 124.9 yards per game, leading the Pac-12. He's also been a key cog in the passing game for quarterback Cody Kessler. Allen is third on the team in receptions with 28 for 334 yards. His 162 all-purpose yards per game is seventh-best in the country.
