College football

Rain just another thing Bush shrugs off

Reggie Bush arrives for media day in a campaign that has seen him win nearly every major award available.

By BOB HARIG
Published January 3, 2006

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - The rain did not fall. It blew sideways. The sun was so far removed, you wondered if it would ever appear again in Southern California. It was no day for much of anything outdoors, not even a football game.

But Reggie Bush relished the thought of such a sloshing scenario.

Of course, just about anything would have been better Monday than another morning spent in front of those with notepads and cameras.

Bush put on a happy face, answering all the questions as if he was hearing them for the first time. But no way the USC tailback is covered as closely by Texas in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday night as he has been in the media since winning the Heisman Trophy last month.

Truth be told, this has to be getting a bit old for Bush, who has been on the banquet circuit for a month and can't wait to stiff-arm a Texas tackler.

"I have been able to enjoy it, but at times it was overwhelming and I just wanted to get home and relax," Bush said at the Rose Bowl media day. "But I have been trying to enjoy the experience of winning the Heisman Trophy, traveling around, sharing it with my teammates."

Bush would simply like to concentrate on the Bowl Championship Series title game against Texas, where the No.1-ranked Trojans will attempt to win their third straight national title.

But there is reason for the hysteria that envelops him.

A junior from San Diego, Bush received the highest percentage of points ever in becoming USC's seventh Heisman winner, easily defeating Texas quarterback Vince Young and teammate Matt Leinart, the USC quarterback who won the award last year.

Bush won so many awards and was honored so many times that even he would have a hard time remembering everything. In addition to the Heisman, Bush won the Associated Press player of the year award, the Walter Camp player of the year award, the Doak Walker Award. And that is just the start.

Bush said he'd be excited to play for the Houston Texans, who have the No.1 pick in the NFL Draft, assuming he declares for it. He rushed for 1,658 yards and is first nationally in all-purpose yardage, averaging 217.3 yards per game.

Most of his runs were of the "you-had-to-see-it-to-believe-it" category. Several occurred in a 50-42 victory over Fresno State in which Bush rushed for 294 yards on 23 carries and set a Pac-10 record with 513 all-purpose yards. In his last game, a 66-19 win over UCLA, Bush gained 260 yards on 24 carries.

All of that has made him another star in Hollywood. And yet, even a player who arguably could be upset at losing opportunities to Bush has nothing but good things to say about him.

"He is very humble," said tailback LenDale White, who rushed for 1,178 with 21 touchdowns playing behind Bush. "He runs hard, knows what he has to do. You see him in the offseason, all the things he does, and you know why he is here."

Until this season, USC had difficulty figuring out the best way to use Bush, who in his career has produced touchdowns rushing, receiving, passing and as a kickoff and punt returner.

As a freshman two years ago, Bush played behind White and showed promise. He touched the ball 115 times, and gained at least 20 yards on 24 plays. Last year, he shared rushing duties with White much of the season, then rushed for 204 yards on 15 carries and caught six passes for 73 yards in a regular-season ending win over UCLA.

In a 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in last year's Orange Bowl - which brought the Trojans their second consecutive AP national title and the BCS championship - Bush had just six carries for 75 yards. But he also had two receptions, two kickoff returns and a punt return. There was a sense that Oklahoma defenders keying on Bush opened things up for others.

"I think some teams want to know where No.5 (Bush) is on the football field because he's such a threat receiving the ball, running the ball, everything," Leinart said. "Maybe you want to double (cover) him or (put) linebackers on him. I don't know how defenses approach him. I just know we try to get him involved in as many ways as we can."

All of it sounds good to Bush who at this point, rain or shine, just wants to get on the field and play.

[Last modified January 3, 2006, 02:01:28]