The USC Trojans have officially retired Caleb Williams’ No. 13 — and formally re-retired Reggie Bush’s No. 5, meaning that all eight of their Heisman Trophy winners now have their numbers retired.
Williams won the program’s record eighth Heisman Trophy in 2022, his first season at USC after following coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma via the transfer portal.
Williams, who is considered a generational quarterback talent, was selected by the Chicago Bears with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. USC’s social media accounts posted a video of congratulations to Williams featuring Riley, athletic director Jennifer Cohen, Williams’ former Trojans teammates and celebrities Snoop Dogg, Michael Rubin — and John Legend, whose song “Ordinary People” Williams infamously covered during a Bears rookie hazing captured on “Hard Knocks” last month.
Bush got his 2005 trophy returned to him earlier this year after forfeiting it in 2010 amid an NCAA investigation into alleged improper financial benefits he received while at USC. Bush had spent the previous year lobbying to have his trophy returned amid sweeping changes in NCAA rules allowing players to receive compensation for use of their name, image and likeness.
USC was also forced to disassociate from Bush from 2010-2020 in due to NCAA penalties. Bush’s No. 5 had not been formally re-retired since then, but it has never been given out by the program since Bush himself last wore it.
Both Williams and Bush have a case for being USC’s best player in program history at their respective positions.
Williams totaled 7,990 passing yards, 72 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions while posting a combined 169.2 passer rating and completing 67.5% of his passes across his two years in Southern California (2022-23); Williams spent his freshman season (2021) with the Oklahoma Sooners. In Williams’ 2022 Heisman Trophy season, he helped USC reach the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Bush, a two-time All-American, helped the Trojans tie with the LSU Tigers for the 2003 national championship and then win the BCS title game in 2004, which came prior to the running back’s 2005 Heisman season.
In that 2005 Heisman campaign, Bush ran for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns on 8.7 yards per carry. He also totaled 478 receiving yards, while returning a punt for a touchdown. The Trojans played for a third straight national championship but lost the BCS title game to Texas at the Rose Bowl in what is considered one of the greatest games in college football history.
As for the current Trojans team, now-No. 13 USC squeaked out a thrilling 27-20 win as an underdog against now-No. 18 LSU in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season. USC is in its first season in the Big Ten.
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