The 25 greatest players in USC football history

Known as “The Noblest Trojan of Them All,” Drury was one of USC’s first gridiron stars during the second half of the 1920s. An All-American and a College Football Hall of Famer, the Canadian was a two-way college standout but best known for his play at quarterback for USC. Yet. even more known as one of the great ball carriers in the program’s history. Drury’s 1,163 rushing yards from 1927 long stood as a school single-season record and currently ranks 20th. 

Morley Drury’s aforementioned USC single-season rushing record lasted until Garrett’s 1,440 yards in 1965. That was the same season Garrett became the first of seven Trojans to win the Heisman Trophy. For this career at USC, Garrett ran for 3,314 yards — seventh all-time in school history — and 30 touchdowns. Also a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield and one of the nation’s top punt returners during his time, Garrett was an All-American with his No. 20 retired by the school.

As we’ll see, USC has produced some of the best offensive linemen ever to play the game. That said, Yary could be the best of the bunch. His Trojans’ career began on the defensive line, where he was named Pac-8 Defensive Lineman of the Year. But after making the switch to the other side of the ball, Yary was a two-time consensus All-American. In 1967, he became the first USC player to win the Outland Trophy, honoring the nation’s top interior lineman, while helping the Trojans win the national championship. Yary is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

It’s important to note that this list is about an athlete’s accomplishment on the football field. Nobody claims that Simpson has been a model citizen, nor should Simpson be acknowledged for anything positive post-USC. But Simpson’s on-field accomplishments need to be mentioned when it comes to USC football. He’s the 1968 Heisman Trophy winner. A year earlier, in his first season with the Trojans, Simpson rushed for 1,543 (ranked ninth for a single season at USC). Those 3,423 yards rank sixth all-time in school history.

Nicknamed “Tree,” the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Young was a unanimous All-American in 1972. The same season, he helped the Trojans win a national championship while leading the team with 29 receptions. During his three seasons at USC, Young caught 68 passes — a second record by a tight end — for 1,090 yards with 10 touchdowns. Young, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers and was a three-time Pro Bowler.

Swann is one of the greatest NFL wide receivers of all time and set the stage for his professional dominance at USC. A member of the Trojans’ 1972 national championship squad under legendary coach John McKay, Swann didn’t put up the gaudy receiving numbers we’ve become accustomed to over the last 30 or so years, But back when USC solidified itself as “Running Back U,” Swann was among the best in the game while recording 96 career receptions, 1,562 yards, and 11 touchdowns. The All-American and College Football Hall of Famer also ran for 200 career yards, averaging 7.7 per carry.

As the 1970s went on, USC continued to churn out some of the best running backs in the game. Davis might be the best Trojans running back never to win a Heisman. Though, he did finish second in 1974 (to Ohio State’s Archie Griffin) while running for 1,421 yards. For his career, the College Football Hall of Famer ranks third on USC’s all-time rushing list with 3,724 yards and scored 44 touchdowns, including 11 TDs versus Notre Dame. Davis is also one of the college game’s greatest return men of all time with an NCAA-record 35.1-yard average per kickoff return and six touchdowns. In addition to winning two national titles with the Trojans football team, Davis was a key member of three USC baseball national championship squads.

Wood earned the distinction of being USC’s first three-year First-Team All-American. During his first season on the field at USC, Wood posted five interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. Then in 1973, Wood totaled 117 tackles and recorded another 89 more in ’74. Wood’s performance on the football field was a big reason the Trojans went 31-2-2 and won a pair of national championships during his time in college. Wood was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Bell began his USC career as a linebacker, then made a name for himself as a talented blocking fullback during the program’s 1974 national championship squad. A year later, Bell became the Trojans’ featured back, running for 1,957 yards (third-most for a single season and most by a junior at USC), then 1,433 in 1976. Bell’s 3,689 career rushing yards ranked fourth in school history and helped him become the overall No. 1 pick in the 1977 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bell retired from the NFL in 1983 and, sadly, passed away a year later from heart failure due to the inflammatory disorder dermatomyositis. He was posthumously elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Budde is the only member of the program to win the Lombardi Award (1979), go 3-0 in the Rose Bowl, and be a big part of coach John Robinson’s squad that shared the 1978 national championship. A unanimous All-American in 1979, Budde was named USC Offensive Player of the Year. Budde has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, USC Hall of Fame, and Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. 

Before enjoying a 13-year Hall-of-Fame NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, Munoz laid the foundation at USC. He was also a star on the Trojans’ baseball team and part of the 1978 national championship roster. Munoz might not have earned national recognition in terms of All-American teams or received any significant hardware. However, his steady play, excellent leadership, and determination to overcome a serious knee ligament that wiped out his senior season were all reasons he was the third overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft.

In the spirit of a good argument, Charles White is the greatest running back that USC has ever produced. There. It’s been said. He’s the school’s all-time leading rusher with 6,245 career yards. He’s one of two Trojans to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a season. For White, that came in 1979 when he gained an NCAA-best 2,050 and averaged 6.2 yards per carry while rushing for 19 touchdowns en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. A year prior, White ran for 1,859 — good enough for fifth-most in school history — while helping USC to a national championship. A two-time unanimous All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year, White is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. His No. 12 is retired at USC.

Another member of that recognized 1978 national championship team, Lott is one of the best defenders to play college football. A fierce hitter, who was also a load in coverage, Lott is tied for fourth in school history with 14 career interceptions. A team-high eight picks came during his 1980 season when Lott was recognized as a consensus All-American. A member of both College and Pro Football Hall of Fames, Lott recorded 250 total tackles, including 22 for loss and 10 fumble recoveries.

Recruited as a safety, legendary Trojans coach John Robinson made the smart decision to move Allen to running back. As a freshman in 1978, Allen backed up Charles White on the team recognized as national champion by the Coaches Poll. After some modest success in 1979, Allen ran for 1,563 (seventh-most in school history for a single season) with 14 touchdowns in ’80, then gained a school-record 2,427 while scoring 22 times in 1981, the year he won the Heisman Trophy. Allen, who also caught 79 career passes for 721 yards, won the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards and is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames.

Browner was a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro while spending all but one of his 10-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings. Before that, he had a pretty impressive career with the Trojans and was the team’s MVP in 1982. Though he received little official national recognition, in terms of awards, Browner totaled 243 tackles, nine interceptions, and officially defended 40 passes. In addition, Browner recovered seven fumbles and scored three touchdowns.

The first Trojan to win the Jim Thorpe Award (1989), as the country’s top defensive back, the two-time All-American Carrier recorded 107 tackles and picked off seven passes during that special season. A two-time All-American, Carrier finished his brilliant USC career with 336 tackles and ranked among the school’s all-time leaders with an impressive 13 interceptions. A member of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame, Carrier was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Bears in 1990.

The course that Seau’s life took after his NFL career was tragic, but revisiting his years at USC offers a bit of solace. Seau was the Pac-10’s Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American selection in 1989 when he recorded 71 tackles and 19 sacks. After sitting out his freshman season for failing to qualify academically, Seau totaled 107 tackles, 33 for loss, during his two seasons for the Trojans.

Boselli is another Trojan who is a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames. Boselli was a two-time All-American and three-time All-Pac-10 performer named USC Offensive Player of the Year in 1991. A finalist for the Outland Trophy, Boselli followed up his stellar career with the Trojans by becoming the first-ever draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars when they took him at No. 2 in 1995.

One of the most noted personalities to ever play at USC, Johnson made the most of his two seasons in the program. He was a two-time First-Team All-Pac-10 performer, the league’s offensive player of the year, and unanimous All-American in 1995, when he caught 102 passes for 1,434 — both ranking within the top five on the school’s single-season records list. For those two seasons, the always opinionated and boisterous Keyshawn totaled 168 catches for 2,796 yards, averaging 16.7 yards per reception.

Claiborne is the first USC player to win the Butkus Award, honoring the best linebacker in the nation. He took home that honor in 1998, when he was a unanimous All-American for recording 120 tackles, seven for loss, and leading the team with six interceptions. Claiborne was also named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in ’98. When his three seasons at USC had finished, Claiborne totaled 312 tackles, 27 for loss, before spending eight seasons in the NFL.

Palmer has the distinction of being the first quarterback in USC history to win the Heisman Trophy. That came in 2002 when Palmer threw for 3,942 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Palmer ranks second in school history for his career with 11,818 passing yards, while his 72 touchdowns thrown rank among the school’s top 10. An All-American and College Football Hall of Famer, Palmer had his No. 3 jersey retired by USC.

A two-time All-American, Polamalu honed his skills as one of the most versatile safeties to ever play the game at both the college and professional levels while starring at USC. For his career with the Trojans, Polamalu recorded 281 tackles, including 29 for loss, and six interceptions. He also blocked four punts and scored three touchdowns. Polamalu is one of the many Trojans elected to the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames.

USC’s most recent (recognized) Heisman Trophy winner, Leinart claimed the prestigious award in 2004, when he also helped the Trojans win their since-vacated national championship. During that ’04 campaign, Leinart threw for 3,322 yards with 33 touchdowns and six interceptions. The two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, Leinart concluded his career with 10,693 passing yards and 99 touchdowns — both totals ranking among the top five in school history. In addition to the Heisman, Leinart won the Manning and Walter Camp Awards in 2004 and the Unitas Award in 2005. A College Football Hall of Famer, Leinart had his No. 11 retired at USC.

Much of Bush’s success at USC has been erased due to NCAA violations involving his recruitment. The Trojans’ program was hit hard with sanctions but has survived. Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy, Doak Walker, and Walter Camp Awards were all vacated, and the school doesn’t recognize his 3,312 career rushing yards and 6,551 all-purpose yards. However, in reality, it all existed, and Bush remains one of the great college football players of all time. He enjoyed a solid NFL career as an All-Pro and Super Bowl champion and remains a popular media figure.

Only one Trojan has won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top wide receiver. It’s Marqise Lee. It came during the 2012 season when he set school records with 118 receptions and 1,721 receiving yards. USC’s all-time leader with 3,655 receiving yards and second in receptions (248) while also recording 29 career touchdowns, Lee was a unanimous All-American. He was the Pac-12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2011.