Saturday night, Bush again left the competition far behind and became the 71st winner of the Heisman Trophy, college football's most prestigious individual honor, in one of the largest runaway victories in history.Bush is the seventh USC player, and the third Trojan in four years, to be recognized as the best college football player in the country.
He was announced as the winner over Texas quarterback Vince Young and USC quarterback Matt Leinart during a nationally televised ceremony from the Nokia Theatre in Times Square.
Bush bowed his head, hugged Leinart, the 2004 Heisman winner, before he stood and embraced his mother, stepfather and brother.
"Oh man, this is amazing," Bush said after he stepped onto a stage full of former Heisman winners.
Bush won the Heisman by sweeping all six regions and securing the largest percentage of first-place votes in history. Bush received 784 first-place votes from 892 media members and former Heisman winners. Bush's name appeared on a record 99% of the ballots.
Simpson's 855 first-place votes in 1968 remain a Heisman record.
Bush finished with 2,541 points, Young 1,608. Leinart had 797 and lost his bid to become the second two-time Heisman winner. Ohio State running back Archie Griffin won in 1974 and 1975.
Bush, a 20-year-old junior from San Diego, delivered an emotional speech. He fought back tears when acknowledging his stepfather, LaMar Griffin.
"You took me in at the age of 2," Bush said, pausing to collect his emotions. "It takes a man to do something like that."
USC is tied with Notre Dame for the most winners in the history of an award that has been presented by New York's Downtown Athletic Club since 1935.
Bush helped restore USC's proud tradition of producing outstanding running backs. The school earned the nickname "Tailback U," with four Heisman-winning tailbacks and two others who finished as runners-up between 1965 and 1981.
Running back Mike Garrett was USC's first Heisman winner in 1965. O.J. Simpson won in 1968, Charles White in 1979 and Marcus Allen in 1981.
USC went two decades without another Heisman winner until Carson Palmer became the first USC quarterback to win in 2002. Leinart took home the 25-pound bronze statuette last year — Bush was fifth in the balloting — and he finished third behind Bush and Young this year.
Bush, Young and Leinart will be on the same field Jan. 4 when top-ranked USC plays second-ranked Texas in the Rose Bowl, this season's bowl championship series title game. USC has won 34 games in a row dating to 2003 and is seeking its third consecutive national championship.
Leinart, who passed up the chance to earn potential millions of dollars in the NFL and returned for a final season of eligibility, said Bush fit "the perfect description of a Heisman Trophy winner" and praised his teammate's humble nature and work ethic.
"I knew I was going to come here and get third," Leinart said. "I think the right guy won."
Bush did not disagree.
"I really felt confident about winning it, and it came to pass," he said.Young was disappointed in the outcome. "Right now it feels like I let my guys down," he said.
"Right now it feels like I let my family down and the whole city of Houston down."
With his multidimensional skills as a runner, receiver and kick returner, Bush has been projected by many as the possible first pick in the 2006 NFL draft. But Bush, who praised Leinart's decision to return this season, said he had not decided whether he would turn pro or return for a final season of eligibility.
"Even though I won the Heisman Trophy, I haven't thought about it," said Bush, who scored 18 touchdowns this season and averaged about 9 yards a carry. "I won't until after the Rose Bowl."
In a telephone interview, USC Coach Pete Carroll said Bush "did everything for a couple of years to prepare to receive this recognition," and added that Palmer, Leinart and Bush all received an award "that comes along with winning."
Bush and Leinart are the third set of teammates to win the Heisman in consecutive years. Yale's Larry Kelley won in 1936, Clint Frank in 1937. Army's Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis won in 1945 and 1946, respectively.
Bush also is the latest in a growing line of Heisman winners from the San Diego area, joining USC's Allen, 1994 winner Rashaan Salaam, who played at Colorado, and 1998 winner Ricky Williams, the second of Texas' two winners. Bush has paid tribute to his hometown by writing "619" — a San Diego area code — on the black patches he wears under his eyes during games to prevent glare.
Bush arrived at USC before the fall of 2003 after starring at Helix High in La Mesa, where he played in the same backfield as quarterback Alex Smith, who finished fourth in Heisman voting last year and was the top pick in this year's NFL draft.
After watching Bush on the first day of practice, Carroll said, "Reggie has this really cool speed and wiggle."
Bush had arthroscopic shoulder surgery last winter and trained with San Diego Charger running back LaDainian Tomlinson during the summer. He added weight and muscle to his 6-foot frame so he could prove that he was capable of handling more carries and the pounding that would go along with it.
Just as Palmer and Leinart had done during their Heisman-winning seasons, Bush vaulted to the forefront of national Heisman discussion with his performance against Notre Dame. On Oct. 15, he scored three touchdowns and gave Leinart a controversial push into the end zone on a last-second touchdown in USC's dramatic 34-31 victory at Notre Dame Stadium.
Bush's performances were less spectacular over the next four games and Young appeared to surge into the lead.
But Bush reemerged as the favorite by amassing 513 all-purpose yards — the combination of running, receiving and kick-return yards — in a 50-42 victory over then-16th-ranked Fresno State on Nov. 19 at the Coliseum. On Dec. 3, he clinched the Heisman by rushing for 260 yards and two touchdowns in a 66-19 victory over UCLA that gave USC its second consecutive perfect regular season.
"Coach Carroll always preaches to us, 'Finish,' and I think that's what I did," Bush said. "I finished the season, finished with the Heisman Trophy and now, hopefully, I'll finish with this big win in the Rose Bowl."