By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
As one former USC Trojan is preparing to be the top pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft, another is getting national headlines. Reggie Bush is back in the news.
It was announced by the Heisman Trophy Trust that Bush will get his Heisman Trophy back on Wednesday. The Southern California Trojans will also receive a replica of Bush’s trophy.
Bush previously lost his Heisman Trophy in 2010. With Wednesday’s announce, he will be able to rejoin his fellow Heisman Trophy winners in New York City on December 14th.
This means Bush will be able to vote on the Heisman Trophy this year. The Heisman Trophy Trust said a change in the college football landscape lead to this decision.
“I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family,” Bush said in a statement to ESPN. “I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”
The Heisman Trophy Trust was referring to NIL when they talked about the change in the college football landscape. NIL has been around for several years.
However, it has exploded with the amount of money college athletes are getting paid during their time in college. Caleb Williams, the former Trojans quarterback, had an evaluation of several million dollars this past season. As did several other college athletes.
Sports agent Lloyd Lake allegedly paid Bush and his family $292,000 during his final two seasons with the Trojans. He filed a lawsuit against them on October 30th, 2007.
Then, on June 10th, 2010, the NCAA announced sanctions against the Trojans. This investigation involved two key players in Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo.
As a result, the Trojans had to vacate football wins. Plus, Bush was banned from associating with the school.
Bush announced that he would voluntarily return his Heisman Trophy to the Heisman Trophy Trust on September 14th, 2010. He was the first player to ever do this.
In June 2020, the Trojans announced that they were removing the restrictions against Bush. However, in September 2021, the Heisman Trophy said that Bush would not get his trophy back despite the NCAA accepting the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) change.
The Heisman Trophy Trust said that since his NCAA stats were not reinstated, he would not be eligible to get his Heisman Trophy back.
Earlier this year, former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel said he would not participate in future awards until Bush was reinstated. Now, he got his wish.
Manziel won the Heisman Trophy in 2012. The former Texas A&M quarterback was at the Heisman Trophy event last December.
Now, just a day before Williams is the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, the Trojans now have 8 Heisman Trophy winners. That is the most ever by a school.
Williams also won the Heisman Trophy during the 2022 season.
While the Trojans have the most Heisman Trophy’s now, three schools are right behind them with seven. Those institutions are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ohio State Buckeyes, and the Oklahoma Sooners.
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