Heisman Winner
Reggie Bush
RB | Junior | University of Southern California
Reggie Bush became USC’s third Heisman winner in four years when the USC junior tailback won the 2005 Heisman Trophy.
The 6-foot, 200-pound back, who saw teammate Matt Leinart capture the 2004 Heisman Trophy two years after USC QB Carson Palmer claimed it in 2002, won the Trojans seventh Heisman in run-away fashion.
Bush received 2,541 points to finish 933 points ahead of second-place Vince Young while Leinart was third.
Bush, born in the San Diego area in 1985, prepped at Helix High School, where he became the nation’s No. 1-ranked running back recruit.
He signed with USC ahead of the 2003 season and quickly established himself in the Pac-10, gaining 521 yards on 90 carries while totally 15 receptions for 314 yards and four more scores, helping USC win a share of the 2003 national title.
Bush took off in 2004 with 2,330 all-purpose yards — USC’s most since Marcus Allen in his 1981 Heisman season — and finished fifth in the Heisman voting. He rushed for 908 yards on 143 carries with six TDs, caught 43 passes for 509 yards with seven TDs and returned 24 punts for 376 yards and two more TDs as USC again was crowned national champs.
In 2005, Bush took it to another level as USC extended its winning streak to 34 games through the end of the ’05 regular season. Bush ran for 1,658 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns and added 31 receptions for 383 yards and two TDs and an 84-yard punt return score.
Bush registered eight games with over 100 rushing yards and closed the regular season with 294 and 260 rushing yards against Fresno State and UCLA, respectively. In fact, against the Bulldogs, he totaled 513 all-purpose yards – the second-highest total in NCAA history.
In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy, he won the 2005 Doak Walker and Walter Camp Awards.
Bush opted to skip his senior year and declared for the 2006 NFL Draft and was taken second overall by New Orleans. He played five seasons with the Saints and helped them win Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. Bush also played for Miami, Detroit, San Francisco and Buffalo before retiring after the 2016 season. He finished with 5,490 career rushing yards and 36 touchdowns while posting 477 receptions for 3,598 yards and 18 more scores.
