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 its home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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 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.
Sam Baker–Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy John David Booty–Maxwell Award Brian Cushing–Chuck Bednarik Award Fred Davis–John Mackey Award Lawrence Jackson–Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award, and Lott Trophy Dwayne Jarrett–Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award Ryan Kalil–Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, and Dave Rimington Trophy Oscar Lua–Chuck Bednarik Award Rey Maualuga–Butkus Award Keith Rivers–Chuck Bednarik Award and Butkus Award Steve Smith–Maxwell Award
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.
Season
Roster
(as of August 21, 2006) Wide receivers 1 Patrick Turner – Sophomore 2 Steve Smith – Senior 7 Vidal Hazelton – Freshman 8 Dwayne Jarrett – Junior 9 David Ausberry – Freshman 17 Travon Patterson – Freshman 18 Jamere Holland – Freshman 19 Christian Allen – Junior 24 Ben Malcolmson – Senior 46 Sean Calcagnie – Freshman 47 Scott Stephens – Freshman 48 Brad Walker – Junior 80 Spencer Vigoren – Freshman 82 Chris McFoy – Senior 85 Akeem Wade – Freshman Offensive line 50 Will Collins – Junior 53 Jeff Byers – Sophomore 60 Drew Radovich – Junior 62 Dominique Wise – Senior 63 Travis Draper – Sophomore 66 Chilo Rachal – Sophomore 67 Ryan Kalil – Senior 68 Butch Lewis – Freshman 69 Matt Spanos – Junior 70 Alatini Malu – Junior 71 Charles Brown – Freshman 73 Jonathan Richert – Senior 74 Zack Heberer – Freshman 76 Nick Howell – Freshman 77 Thomas Herring – Freshman 78 Kyle Williams – Senior 79 Sam Baker – Junior
Tight ends 83 Fred Davis – Junior 81 Gerald Washington – Junior 85 Cooper Stephenson – Freshman 86 Anthony McCoy – Freshman 87 Nick Vanderboom – Senior 88 Jimmy Miller – Sophomore 89 Dale Thompson – Junior Quarterbacks 6 Mark Sanchez – Freshman 9 Tyler Davis – Freshman 10 John David Booty – Junior 15 Duron Sylvester – Freshman 16 Michael McDonald – Junior
Fullbacks 30 Mike Brittingham – Senior 31 Stanley Havili – Freshman 35 Jody Adewale – Junior 37 Ryan Powdrell – Senior 40 Brandon Hancock – Senior 41 Thomas Williams – Junior
Running backs 13 Stafon Johnson – Freshman 21 Allen Bradford – Freshman 22 Desmond Reed – Junior 23 Chauncey Washington – Junior 25 C.J. Gable – Freshman 26 Emmanuel Moody – Freshman 27 Michael Coleman – Sophomore 29 John Griffin – Junior 34 Hershel Dennis – Senior
Defensive line 44 Rashaad Goodrum – Senior 49 Sedrick Ellis – Junior 54 Jeff Schweiger – Junior 56 Alex Parsons – Freshman 64 Mike Davis – Senior 75 Fili Moala – Sophomore 84 Kyle Moore – Sophomore 90 Derek Simmons – Freshman 91 Chris Barrett – Junior 93 Lawrence Miles – Sophomore 94 Walker Lee Ashley – Freshman 95 Travis Tofi – Senior 96 Lawrence Jackson – Junior 97 Alex Morrow – Junior 99 Averell Spicer – Freshman Linebackers 10 Brian Cushing – Sophomore 37 Dan Deckas – Freshman 42 Dallas Sartz – Senior 43 Kaluka Maiava – Sophomore 45 Oscar Lua – Senior 46 Michael Morgan – Freshman 47 Clay Matthews III – Sophomore 51 Joshua Tatum – Freshman 52 Luthur Brown – Freshman 55 Keith Rivers – Junior 57 Nick Garratt – Freshman 58 Rey Maualuga – Sophomore 59 Lou Ferrigno Jr. – Senior
Defensive backs 4 Kevin Ellison – Sophomore 6 Antwine Perez – Freshman 7 Cary Harris – Sophomore 9 Mozique McCurtis – Sophomore 14 Garrett Green – Freshman 15 Kevin Thomas – Sophomore 22 Jim Abbott – Sophomore 23 Vincent Joseph – Freshman 24 Shareece Wright – Freshman 25 Chase McWhorter – Junior 26 Will Harris – Sophomore 27 Brent Yoshida – Senior 28 Terrell Thomas – Junior 29 Taylor Mays – Freshman 30 Jerry Williams – Junior 31 Jamel Williams – Junior 35 Justin Hart – Freshman 36 Josh Pinkard – Junior 38 Robert Erickson – Freshman 39 Alfred Rowe – Freshman 48 Matthew Jordan – Freshman
Punters 16 Taylor Odegard – Sophomore 44 Greg Woidneck – Sophomore
Kickers 17 Troy Van Blarcom – Sophomore 18 David Buehler – Sophomore 19 Mario Danelo – Junior † Starter at position Injured; will not play in 2006
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.
Name Position Yearat USC Alma mater (year) Pete Carroll Head coach 6th Pacific (1973) Lane Kiffin Offensive coordinatorWide receiversRecruiting coordinator 6th Fresno State (1998) Steve Sarkisian Assistant head coachQuarterbacks 5th2001–2003,2005 – present BYU (1997) Nick Holt Defensive coordinatorDefensive line 4th2001–2003,2006 – present Pacific (1986) Todd McNair Running backsSpecial teams coordinator 3rd Temple Brennan Carroll Assistant head coachTight ends 5th Pittsburgh (2001) Ken Norton Jr. Linebackers 3rd UCLA (1988) Pat Ruel Offensive line 2nd Miami (1972) Rocky Seto Secondary 8th USC (1999) David Watson Defensive line 2nd Western Illinois (2001) Chris Carlisle Strength and conditioning 6th Chadron State (1985)
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries
USC began the season with many impressive streaks intact despite having lost the 2006 Rose Bowl to Texas. 27 straight home games (Pac-10 and school record) 23 straight Pac-10 games (Pac-10 and school record) 19 straight Pac-10 home games (Pac-10 and school record) 15 straight road games 11 straight Pac-10 road games 8 straight non-conference home games 5 straight non-conference road games 16 straight October games 16 straight November games 52 straight 20-point games
Arkansas