Sam Darnoldhas been facing challenges all throughout his time playing football since his days atSan Clemente (Calif.). Now the former California high school football star will get his chance on the grandest stage of them all, Super Bowl LX, to show why he’s one of the best to have ever come out of the Golden State.

Through Darnold’s sophomore and junior seasons with the Tritons, the Super Bowl starting quarterback had seen minimal time on the field at San Clemente, totaling 748 yards and seven touchdowns. It would be Darnold’s senior year where the signal caller would blossom into his own before heading off to become a USC Trojan.

During his senior campaign with the Tritons, Darnold had himself a strong season and ended up completing 213-of-314 passes for 2,985 yards and 39 touchdowns. The four-star prospect showed off his wheels on the ground, rushing for 785 yards and 13 touchdowns.

After his high school playing days at San Clemente, Darnold was already committed to USC, making his decision during the summer of 2014 heading into his senior season and would head into a crowded quarterback room with the Trojans.

Playing two seasons at USC with a redshirt freshman campaign, the 6-foot-3, 221-pound passer completing 549-of-846 passes for 7,229 yards and 57 touchdowns before being selected as the No. 3 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.

Now heading into Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup with the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Darnold has a chance one more time to prove the naysayers wrong and overcoming one more challenge in his path.

“Sam Darnold was sort of a late bloomer (in high school). USC had their quarterback room all set and it was gonna go from (Cody) Kessler to Ricky Town. A lot of schools early on wanted Sam to play tight end. The issue at that time he wasn’t doing a lot of camps or 7-on-7. First time I saw him at Mission Viejo 7-on-7 tournament and he was outstanding. He made all the the grows and was superb. The way his recruitment went, he to a camp at USC and Clay Helton was the HC at the time. The staff said they had to go after him at the time after seeing him. Oregon, Duke were also after him during the recruitment him. Darnold and his dad went to a lot of USC games. I think that’s a testament to his fortitude. Is it surprising, certainly. Just knowing him and his HC. Knowing he’s a tough kid. He was walking into a very tough QB at USC and he stayed resilient.” – Rivals National Recruiting reporter Adam Gorney

More about San Clemente High School

San Clemente High School, located in the coastal town of San Clemente, California, serves around 3,000 students from the city and surrounding areas, including Capistrano Beach and San Juan Capistrano. Established in 1964, the school is part of the Capistrano Unified School District and boasts a robust athletics program with a strong community presence under the motto “One Town, One Team.” The Tritons are recognized for their competitive spirit across various sports disciplines.

How to Follow California High School Football

For California high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Golden State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of California.