Reggie Bush may have had his Heisman Trophy taken away, but he’s nevertheless poised to become a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Bush, who electrified college football as the running back on two championship-winning USC teams in 2003 and ’04, highlighted the 18 players who were among the 2023 Hall of Fame class announced Monday.
Bush also led the Trojans to the title game in the ‘05 season in which he won the Heisman Trophy, which was later vacated after an investigation determined he and his family received impermissible benefits while he was a part of the Pac-12 program. Bush had to return the trophy and USC disassociated with the star running back for a full decade, finally ending the estrangement in 2020.
During his career with the Trojans, Bush amassed 3,169 yards on 7.3 yards per carry and 25 rushing touchdown, in addition to racking up 1,301 receiving yards and 13 more scores. He was selected by the Saints with the No. 2 pick in the 2006 NFL draft and went on to play 11 seasons professionally.
Among the other headliners of the class was former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner won two national championships with the Gators and became a college football icon during his career in Gainesvillle.
The rest of the latest College Football Hall of Fame class includes: Dwight Freeney of Syracuse; Luke Kuechly of Boston College; LaMichael James of Oregon; Michael Bishop of Kansas State; Eric Berry of Tennessee; Robert Gallery of Iowa; Derrick Johnson of Texas; Bill Kollar of Montana State; Jeremy Maclin of Missouri; Terrance Mathis of New Mexico; Bryant McKinnie of Miami; Corey Moore of Virginia Tech; Michael Stonebreaker of Notre Dame; Troy Vincent of Wisconsin; Brian Westbrook of Villanova; and DeAngelo Williams of Memphis.
Four coaches will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame in December: Shepherd’s Monte Carr; Central Michigan and SEC commissioner Roy Krame; Georgia and Miami coach Mark Richt; and Paul Johnson, who spent time at Georgia Southern, Navy and Georgia Tech.