USC's Bush has 'eyes on the prize'
By Matt Ryan
The Daily Trojan / USC
Since his 160-yard, three-touchdown performance against Notre Dame, USC running back Reggie Bush has been relatively quiet by his standards. Once a Heisman Trophy favorite in virtually every poll, Bush has fallen behind Texas quarterback Vince Young and even teammate Matt Leinart in most polls.
But with two games remaining against ranked opponents (No. 16 Fresno State and No. 12 UCLA) Bush knows he has a chance to sway voters with strong performances.
“I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to win (the Heisman) because I do,” Bush said. “It’s just a natural competitive nature in me.”
Since the game in South Bend, Ind., against the Irish, Bush has averaged just 13.5 carries per game for 85.75 yards and in that four-game span he has rushed for just two touchdowns.
“I don’t know so much if it’s what the defenses have done, it’s just you are going to have those type of games where you are not going to be able to make those long runs,” Bush said.
USC coach Pete Carroll said he would not make any extra effort outside of the normal game plan to get Bush more involved than he has been.
“We are going to do the things we got to do,” Carroll said. “I would like to see him be a factor sure, that just makes other things happen. We are going to have him all over the game plan as we usually do.”
Heisman or not, Bush said it is more important to him to help the team win an unprecedented third-straight national championship.
“Winning a national championship is my No. 1 goal. That is more important to me than any individual award,” Bush said.
Carroll said linebacker Oscar Lua, who injured his knee on special teams against Stanford and did not play last weekend against California, will play this weekend. Carroll would not say if Lua would start, but Lua believes he will.
“Coach Carroll said if I feel I am healthy I would be the starter,” Lua said.
“He feels confident in me practicing and doing all the things a starting linebacker should be doing. I am pretty sure I will be taking that role.”
USC can lock up the Pacific-10 Conference’s Bowl Championship Series berth even before it takes on No. 12 UCLA. If No. 10 Oregon beats Oregon State Saturday, the Trojans will clinch first place. Even if the Bruins win Dec. 3, the Trojans will win a three-way tiebreaker by virtue of UCLA’s loss to Arizona and USC’s September win against the Ducks.
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