Reggie Bush has been reinstated because the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner greater than a decade after USC returned the award after an NCAA investigation that discovered he obtained what had been impermissible advantages throughout his time with the Trojans, the Heisman Belief introduced Wednesday.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Reggie Bush again to the Heisman household in recognition of his collegiate accomplishments,” mentioned Michael Comerford, president of the Heisman Trophy Belief. “We thought of the big modifications in faculty athletics over the past a number of years in deciding that now’s the precise time to reinstate the Trophy for Reggie. We’re so glad to welcome him again.”
Bush had gained the trophy awarded to the highest participant in faculty soccer after amassing greater than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and scoring 18 touchdowns in 2005. His 784 first-place votes had been the fifth most in Heisman historical past.
The Heisman Belief has returned the trophy to Bush and the reproduction to USC. Bush shall be invited to all future Heisman Trophy ceremonies.“Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman household,” Bush mentioned in a press release to ESPN. “I additionally look ahead to working along with the Heisman Belief to advance the values and mission of the group.”
The USC soccer program wrote in a social media submit, “again the place it belongs. “The reinstatement of Bush offers USC eight Heisman winners, essentially the most of any faculty.
The Belief mentioned in its assertion that its determination adopted a “deliberative course of” by which it carefully monitored modifications within the faculty athletics panorama. That included the US supreme courtroom’s 2021 determination that questioned the legality of the NCAA’s amateurism mannequin and opened the door to athlete compensation; the flexibility of gamers to be paid for his or her identify, picture, and likeness; and the NCAA’s latest proposal to take away the cap on education-related funds.
“Recognizing that the compensation of scholar athletes is an accepted apply and seems right here to remain, these elementary modifications in faculty athletics led the Belief to determine that now’s the precise time to return the Trophy to Bush, who unquestionably was essentially the most excellent faculty soccer participant of 2005,” the Belief mentioned.
Johnny Manziel, the 2012 Heisman winner from Texas A&M, mentioned on social media final month that he wouldn’t take part in Heisman festivities until Bush bought his trophy again. He thanked the Belief on Wednesday “for doing what’s proper and welcoming a storied member of our historical past again into the fold. There have been many voices all through this course of that stood on the desk for Reggie merely due to the form of human being he’s. I look ahead to being on that stage with you this December (Reggie Bush) you deserve it.”
Amongst others praising the choice had been 2022 winner and the projected No 1 decide in Thursday’s NFL draft, Caleb Williams of USC, 2001 winner Eric Crouch of Nebraska and 2011 winner Robert Griffin III of Baylor.
Bush had his award vacated in 2010 after USC was hit with NCAA sanctions when it was discovered that Bush and his household obtained cash and presents from fledgling advertising and marketing brokers who had been hoping to signify him.
The NCAA additionally erased 13 wins by which Bush performed, in addition to the 55-19 victory over Oklahoma within the Bowl Championship Sequence title sport on the Orange Bowl after the 2004 season.
Bush was the No 2 general decide within the 2006 NFL draft, by New Orleans, and he performed for 5 groups in 11 seasons.
Final August, Bush filed a defamation lawsuit in opposition to the NCAA for issuing a press release to media in 2021 that mentioned Bush had a “pay-for-play” association. That assertion was in response to media inquiries about whether or not Bush would have his statistics from his USC profession reinstated when NIL funds grew to become permissible. Bush contended the assertion forged him in a false gentle.
