After the 2016 USC football team lost to both Alabama and Stanford, and quarterback Max Browne did not live up to the hype of being the top ranked quarterback recruit in 2013, Sam Darnold got his first start in Week 4 against Utah.
While the Trojans ended up losing that game, it was clear they had the type of quarterback who could make something out of nothing and sustain drives.
Darnold ended the season going 9-1 as the starter, and finishing with 3,086 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and a 67.2 percent completion percentage.
However, after a great season, many players slump or regress in the face of lofty expectations.