USC Football: Jen Cohen Could Fulfill Former AD's Plan to Restore Former Heisman Trophy Winner

Reggie Bush is undeniably one of the greatest running backs to grace a college campus.

During his Heisman-winning season at USC in 2005, Bush had over 2,200 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns. His average play from scrimmage was 9.4 yards — almost a first down.

However, because the NCAA found that he had accepted impermissible benefits during his time at USC, the Trojans were stripped of their 2004 national title, and Bush had his Heisman taken away.

In the past several months, bright yellow billboards have been spotted around LA, demanding that the NCAA return the highest award in college football to Bush.

While the NCAA is unlikely to concede Bush's Heisman — despite Name, Image, and Likeness rules drastically changing in the last couple of years — Bush could be regaining some support at his alma mater.

USC's recently-hired athletic director, Jennifer Cohen, is rumored to be set on adding Bush's No. 5 jersey back to the group of retired numbers of Heisman winners honored below the torch of the LA Memorial Coliseum.

Former athletic director Mike Bohn had reportedly expressed his interest in re-retiring Bush's jersey, but no progress was made.

According to The Sporting Tribune's Arash Markazi, Cohen will bring Bush's jersey back to the Coliseum "sooner than expected."

Former USC AD Mike Bohn told me he wanted to re-retire Reggie Bush’s No. 5 at the Coliseum one day. I’m told that day will come sooner than expected under new USC AD Jennifer Cohen.

The retired numbers of Heisman winners at the Coliseum has been reconfigured to include 5 and 13. https://t.co/YvDeuTwR4t pic.twitter.com/USH6ndyQGU
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 22, 2023

The jerseys of USC's other six Heisman winners, Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Simpson (1968), Charles White (1979), Marcus Allen (1981), Carson Palmer (2002), and Matt Leinart (2004), have been moved to the left three sections, leaving the rightmost section open for Bush's jersey in addition to the reigning Heisman-winner, Caleb Williams.

With the Trojans' home opener in a matter of days, we'll see how quickly Cohen decides to redecorate the Coliseum.