Conference Pac-10 Conference AP No. 4 Head coach Pete Carroll | Coaches No. 4 2006 record 11–2 (7–2 Pac-10) | |
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Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin/Steve Sarkisian | ||
The 2006 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, winning the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) and playing in the Rose Bowl. The team was coached by Pete Carroll, led on offense by quarterback John David Booty, and played their home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Contents
- Before the season
- Coaching changes
- Roster changes
- Recruiting
- Pre season honors
- Roster
- Coaching staff
- Legacy
- 2006 Team Players in the NFL
- Deaths
- References
The previous year's team had played for the national championship, however, with many starters gone, including two Heisman Trophy-winners, there were doubts the team could repeat the success. With a highly ranked recruiting class, however, the Trojans were ranked in the top-5 in many pre-season polls. USC's 13-9 loss to rival UCLA snapped its NCAA-record streak of 63 consecutive 20-point games, and eliminated their hopes of playing in the BCS National Championship game. The team finished the regular season with a 10–2 record and were invited to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) to play at the 2007 Rose Bowl, where they beat the Michigan Wolverines. With a final record of 11–2, they finished the season ranked fourth in both the Associated Press (AP) and Coaches Polls. Following the season, a number of players won national awards, while five players left the team as they were selected in the 2007 National Football League (NFL) Draft.
Before the season
The four previous Trojan teams were very successful. Since the 2002 season, the Trojans won four Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) titles, two national championships, and three players won the Heisman Trophy. The 2003 team won the Associated Press (AP) national championship, while the 2004 team won the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and AP championships. Additionally, the 2005 team, named by some of the media as one of the best offenses in the history of college football, played for the national championship where they lost to the Texas Longhorns. Eleven starters returned from that team, and the Trojans were picked by the Pac-10 media to win the conference. The team began the season ranked sixth in the AP Poll and third in the Coaches Poll.
Coaching changes
After the 2005 season, defensive coordinator, Jethro Franklin, took an assistant coaching position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Idaho coach, Nick Holt, a former assistant at USC, was hired to replace him. Holt had previously served as linebackers coach for three years at USC.
Roster changes
Although returning 11 starters from 2005, the team lost eleven players to the National Football League (NFL), including 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, Matt Leinart, and 2005 Heisman winner, Reggie Bush. Bush, who had one year left of eligibility, announced his plans to skip his senior season a week after the team's loss in the Rose Bowl. Bush was eventually selected as the second pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, while Leinart was the second Trojan selected in the first round. In all the team lost eight players on offense and three on defense.
Recruiting
The Trojans signed 25 recruits for the new class. Included in the top ranked class were four five-star recruits on defense, three five-star recruits on offense, and another thirteen four-star recruits.
Pre-season honors
Eleven Trojan players were named to pre-season national award watchlists.
In addition to the awards, five players were named to various pre-season All-America teams. Playboy, Athlon, Lindy's, Street & Smith's, Rivals.com, and NationalChamps.Net each named Jarrett and Baker to their first teams, with Jarrett also named to Sporting News, Blue Ribbon's, Phil Steele's, and Collegefootballnews.com first teams. Both ESPN.com and Street & Smith named Jackson and Kalil to their first teams, and Jackson was additionally named to Sporting News Athlon, and Phil Steele's first teams. Rivers was named to various second teams.
Roster
The Trojans went into the 2006 campaign having suffered many season-ending injuries. Redshirt senior and 2003 starting fullback Brandon Hancock tore his knee ligaments in fall camp, ending his career. Hancock was expected to start at fullback. Redshirt senior running back and 2003 starter Hershel Dennis re-tore his knee ligaments in spring practice after initially tearing them during the 2005 FedEx Orange Bowl, finishing his time at USC unless he gets a sixth year of eligibility. Dennis was expected to compete for the starting tailback job with redshirt junior Chauncey Washington and a host of talented freshmen. Sophomore safety Will Harris suffered torn knee ligaments during the off-season while recovering from a 2005 knee injury and was not expected to return in 2006. Senior defensive end Rashaad Goodrum suffered a back and rib injury in 2005 and was not expected to play again for USC. Redshirt sophomore defensive end Lawrence Miles missed the season while recovering from shoulder surgery and was expected to miss the season. Redshirt senior walk-on linebacker Lou Ferrigno, Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury in spring practice and is out of eligibility. Freshman wide receiver Jamere Holland was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. Freshman linebacker Joshua Tatum suffered a knee injury. Redshirt junior offensive lineman Matt Spanos was academically ineligible.
By the Trojans' first game at Arkansas, the starting lineup had undergone some revisions from the expected one from the summer. True freshman tailback C.J. Gable beat out talented freshmen Emmanuel Moody, Allen Bradford, and Stafon Johnson along with upperclassmen Desmond Reed and Michael Coleman for the starting job after junior Chauncey Washington was not ready to go due to injuries. Redshirt junior fullback Ryan Powdrell won the starting job after Hancock's season ended before it began. Redshirt junior Drew Radovich beat out Jeff Byers for the starter's job at left guard. Sophomore linebacker Brian Cushing was installed in Kyle Moore's starting spot at defensive end. Redshirt junior cornerback Terrell Thomas became the other starter with Kevin Thomas. Redshirt senior linebacker Oscar Lua was the first starting middle linebacker. Finally, redshirt sophomore walk-on Greg Woidneck won the starting punter's job.
Coaching staff
The Trojan team was coached by sixth-year head coach, Pete Carroll and his staff, most of whom returned from 2005.
Legacy
USC is the first team to win five Pac-10 championships in a row, although the Trojans shared the 2002 championship with Washington State and the 2006 championship with California.
USC's popularity continued to remain high, setting a school record with 11 sold-out games over the season and a total attendance of 995,778, shy of the all-time record set in 2005 of 1,037,565—attributable to the smaller stadiums at away games in the 2006 season.
At the end of the 2006 season, with only Dwayne Jarrett departing early for the NFL and returning many of the starters from the 2006 team, major media sources projected the 2007 USC Trojans football team as the presumptive pre-season No. 1 team and national title contender for the 2007 season.
2006 Team Players in the NFL
Deaths
USC placekicker Mario Danelo was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in San Pedro, California, on the night of January 6, 2007.