Football | January 09, 2023
LOS ANGELES—USC's Reggie Bush, one of the most dynamic players in the history of college football, has been named to the 22-member 2023 College Football Hall of Fame class.
He is the 46th inductee with USC ties in the College Football Hall of Fame, including 35 players. A Trojan has been elected into the Hall in 15 of the past 24 years.
Bush will be inducted at a Dec. 5 dinner in Las Vegas and then enshrined at the Hall in Atlanta.
His 2023 classmates include 18 other players—Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry, Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop, Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney, Iowa offensive tackle Robert Gallery, Oregon running back LaMichael James, Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson, Montana State defensive tackle Bill Kollar, Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, Missouri wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Maclin, New Mexico wide receiver Terance Mathis, Miami (FL) offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, Virginia Tech defensive lineman Corey Moore, Notre Dame linebacker Michael Stonebreaker, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, Wisconsin defensive back Troy Vincent, Villanova running back Brian Westbrook and Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams—along with 4 coaches: Monte Carter (Lakeland [WI] 1981-86, Shepherd [WV] 1987-2017), Paul Johnson (Georgia Southern 1997-2001, Navy 2002-07, Georgia Tech 2008-18), Roy Kramer (Central Michigan 1967-77) and Mark Richt (Georgia 2001-15, Miami [FL] 2016-18).
A consensus First Team All-American in 2004 and a unanimous selection in 2005 as an all-purpose player, Bush claimed the Doak Walker Award and was the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the AP Player of the Year, the Sporting News Player of the Year and the Heisman Trophy winner (later vacated) in 2005. He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2004, the year Matt Leinart, his teammate and now fellow College Football Hall of Fame inductee, claimed the award. In 2003, Bush was named a Freshman All-American.
During his three seasons in Los Angeles, Bush helped guide the Trojans to three-consecutive national championship games, winning national titles at the 2004 Rose Bowl with a 28-14 win over Michigan and 2005 Orange Bowl with a 55-19 victory over Oklahoma. The Trojans finished No. 1 in the final AP poll in 2003 and 2004 and No. 2 in 2005 with only two losses during the three-year span, including a 41-38 Rose Bowl loss to Texas in one of the most iconic games in college football history.
Bush set an NCAA record with an astounding 7.3 yards per carry during his career, and he led the NCAA with 222.3 all-purpose yards per game, finishing fourth nationally with 133.9 rushing yards per game in 2005. His 513 all-purpose yards vs. Fresno State in 2005, ranks second in NCAA annals.
As a two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year, Bush was a member of three consecutive Pac-10 championship teams. Bush ranks second in league history with 2,890 all-purpose yards in 2005 and ranks fourth all-time with 6,552 career all-purpose yards, having led the league in all-purpose yards in 2004 and 2005.
A two-time Team MVP and the 2005 team captain, Bush ranks fourth on USC's career kickoff return yardage list (1,523), sixth in career punt return yardage (559) and eighth in career rushing (3,169). He set the USC freshman record with 1,331 all-purpose yards in 2003. He finished his career with 433 rushes for 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns and 95 receptions for 1,301 yards and 13 touchdowns. He returned 67 kickoffs for 1,523 yards and one touchdown, and he fielded 44 punts for 559 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw one touchdown for 52 yards in his career.
Drafted second overall in the 2006 NFL Draft by New Orleans, Bush played for the Saints (2006-10), Dolphins (2011-12), Lions (2013-14), 49ers (2015) and Bills (2016). He was a First Team All-Pro in 2008, and he won Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints in 2010. He was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2019.
Bush works as an on-air college football analyst for FOX Sports during the Big Noon Kickoff show alongside his former teammate Matt Leinart. Bush founded the 619 Charitable Fund, supporting youth in San Diego, and he hosts the "Bush Family Charitable Weekend" with proceeds going to The Birthday Party Project. He is an ambassador for Wings for Life World Run, and he serves as a St. Jude Legends for Charity Los Angeles host committee member.
