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| USC rb Reggie Bush named MCS offfensive Player of the Year. |
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 Spotlight: Bush Named Offensive Player of the Year by the Master Coaches Survey
December 29, 2005
By MCSPOLL.com staff
When it comes to evaluating running backs, former Southern California head coach John Robinson obviously can be considered an expert on the subject. Two of his players--Charles White and Marcus Allen--won Heismans during Robinson's tenure at the school he helped develop into Tailback U.
So when Robinson was asked to vote for the Master Coaches Survey Offensive Player of the Year, yet another great Trojan running back immediately came to mind.
"With Reggie Bush, there's the obvious skills that everybody talks about and is aware of," said the coach who led USC to a national championship in 1978. "But given all his speed, quickness and athleticism, he's a tough guy, too.
"He's so fast that people don't always see that toughness. But it's there."
That toughness was on full display in USC's game against Fresno State. Bush ran for 295 yards and racked up 513 all-purpose yards--the second-highest total in NCAA history--to rally his team to a 50-42 victory.
En route to the Heisman Trophy and MCS Offensive Players of the Year honors, Bush ran for 1,658 yards, a dizzying average of 8.9 yards per carry, while leading the nation in all-purpose yards with 2,611 total and an average of 217.9 per game.
The junior running back has gained 20 or more yards on plays an incredible 34 times this season, including 10 against Fresno State. The multipurpose difference-maker also has scored 15 touchdowns on the ground, hauled in 31 catches for 383 yards and two scores through the air, and tallied 39 combined kickoff and punt returns for 569 yards and a touchdown.
"He's the combination of every quality you would want in an athlete and a running back," Robinson said. "With most great running backs, they have three out of four of the qualities or four out of five.
"But with Reggie, he's all five."
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