For a lot of longtime faculty soccer followers, you received’t overlook the superb moments and abilities operating again Reggie Bush dropped at the soccer discipline. The 2006 USC-Texas nationwide championship recreation has gone down as among the best faculty soccer video games in historical past. He received the Heisman Trophy in 2005, which was reinstated again to him earlier this 12 months after Bush forfeited his award in 2010 as a result of NCAA sanctions for USC.
The previous NFL participant introduced his retirement again in December 2017 and since has been seen on tv as a commentator for Fox Sports activities and starring in a wide range of commercials. His newest TV advert confirmed Bush placing his portrait up within the Nissan Heisman Home. SB Nation spoke with Bush over Zoom final week to listen to this ideas on this 12 months’s faculty soccer season.
This interview was performed on Wednesday, August 28.
Q: To start out off, care to provide a daring prediction on the nationwide championship? Clearly, when you’re proper, bragging rights for the long run.
Reggie Bush: I must see week one first off and all these groups, as a result of it’s very onerous for me to make a prediction, as a result of groups at all times change, proper? New quarterbacks, new crew personnel, new coaches. And the one factor that we don’t have throughout faculty soccer is preseason video games, so that you don’t actually get an opportunity to see what this new crew goes to seem like this 12 months versus how they appeared final 12 months. And so I believe after I get by way of Week 1, I’ll be capable to make a greater prediction of who I believe is gonna be there. However I believe if you’re for instance, the Huge Ten proper now and the convention realignment, seeing USC, UCLA going to the Huge Ten, Oklahoma, Texas going to the SEC, another groups going to the Huge 12 and ACC, I used to be simply excited to see greater video games, proper? Larger blockbuster video games early on within the season.
So, for instance, this USC vs. LSU recreation week, one —I imply, that’s the way in which it ought to have at all times been. One of the best taking part in the perfect, and never essentially having these massive these energy 5, energy 4 conferences, taking part in Division III colleges early on. I wish to see the perfect play the perfect immediately, as a result of that’s going to provide us a transparent minimize indicator of the place groups are. And I believe that USC has a fantastic alternative going into the Huge Ten to depart their footprint on this convention, and to get us began heading in the right direction, as a result of they’re gonna be taking part in higher competitors. They’re gonna be taking part in higher competitors and they’re gonna be taking part in more durable groups. I believe it’s one thing that they need to be enthusiastic about. Harder schedules, sure, for certain. However , you gotta beat the perfect to be the perfect. And I imagine that they’re in among the best conferences, aside from the SEC.
Q: I used to be going to ask you, as a result of I grew up in LA, and I can let you know USC followers — they’re very hungry to win once more. They’re lacking the Bush, [Matt] Lienart, Pete Carroll days. How would you grade Lincoln Riley to this point, and what he’s finished with this system, and what do you suppose particularly USC has to do to compete this 12 months within the Huge Ten?
RB: Effectively, I believe first off, you bought to have a look at the place we have been earlier than Lincoln Riley, and we weren’t a superb offensive crew earlier than Lincoln Riley, the opposite coaches that got here earlier than him struggled after and clearly our period, after Pete Carroll. So we have been lacking that pleasure again at USC. We have been lacking nice quarterback play at USC. And now what I really like, what Lincoln Riley is doing, what he has finished, he’s introduced that pleasure again. And , typically it’s simple to overlook the place we have been earlier than Riley. And I bear in mind how simply not thrilling it was to observe the model of soccer performed at USC, particularly as anyone who I felt like we confirmed groups, confirmed the individuals who have been going to come back after us, we confirmed them the way in which. We confirmed them the blueprint of find out how to do it. And it’s unlucky when issues occur and coaches aren’t in a position to seize what we did. As a result of actually it was about onerous work, it was about willpower, it was about focus, it was about consistency, and it was about all of us being unselfish. And people are the issues that that groups after us are going to have to understand and never saying that any of those crew now didn’t have that however they’ve that chance now.
They’ve nice weapons. They’ve guys like Zachariah Department, who I imagine is a gamebreaker, who can rating from wherever on the soccer discipline. He’s a distinction maker within the return recreation. We have now a fantastic quarterback, Miller Moss, who confirmed quite a lot of upside and potential within the bowl recreation. So I wish to see that carry over to this 12 months, to this primary recreation. And I really like the truth that they’re taking part in LSU Week 1, as a result of once more, like I stated, I wish to see the perfect taking part in the perfect, and that’s going to provide me a transparent minimize indicator of the place this USC crew is now. I believe Lincoln Riley has finished a fantastic job at flipping this crew round fairly quick, however he nonetheless has quite a lot of work to do as nicely. The protection struggled. I believe that’s, , one of many one of many greatest situation final 12 months was the protection struggled to run. I simply wish to see that physicality from this crew step up one other degree, as a result of they’ve the thrill. They’ve the weapons on offense. Now we bought to place this entire factor collectively and play complimentary soccer protection, cease the run, get some turnovers, get it again to that explosive offense, and offense go do what you do, after which in a return recreation — simply give Zachariah Department 10 yards of house.
Q: Clearly, you talked about you’re excited to see these high matchups, however some faculty soccer followers are mourning the PAC 12?
RB: Oh, I’m one in every of them.
Q: So that you’re bummed too?
RB: I’m a bit bummed. That’s the place we have been born into. It was Pac-12/ Pac-10 Convention soccer. And , it was our model of soccer. It was West Coast soccer. And it was completely different from the SEC, it was completely different from the Huge 10. It was completely different from the Huge 12. We had our personal model of soccer on the West Coast. And I beloved having that. And so I’ve seen now there was a change. I believe the change is nice, although. I don’t suppose it’s a foul change. I believe change is at all times good, and it’s simply the character of the beast of the place all the pieces was headed. And so we’ve seen this convention realignment, and I believe that is all good as a result of we’re going to see higher video games…And I don’t wish to see Alabama or Georgia or Ohio State, , taking part in DIII faculty which can be going to be by 70 factors. I don’t suppose that’s nice for the game. And this simply provides us a greater indicator of the place groups are, . When the perfect participant the perfect, so I’m excited.
Q: Do you’ve gotten any below the radar gamers or groups which can be in your thoughts this season which may shock folks?
RB: Effectively, I believe Zachariah Department is a man who’s just like the below the radar man who may doubtlessly be up for the Heisman trophy. If he performs nicely within the return recreation, a pair punt returns, kickoff returns for touchdowns, some massive performs, clearly, does his factor on offense, taking part in receiver, has quite a lot of catches and touchdowns. You recognize, he might be the distinction maker. He might be that man who competes for a Heisman trophy and might be not on anyone’s radar proper now — at this level, folks don’t find out about him. They find out about his velocity, they find out about his skills. But when we are able to get a extra constant play from him, and I believe Lincoln Riley ought to use him as a lot as humanly attainable, then I believe he has that chance.
One factor that I prided myself in being was a fantastic offensive participant that was additionally a fantastic return specialist, and I may rating from wherever on the soccer discipline, and that’s what I see. I see that potential in him. I hope he has that very same confidence instilled in him, as a result of if he doesn’t, he must and we have to change his mindset proper now. I believe we’ve seen the Heisman Trophy change into a quarterback award, and I wish to see it go to the perfect participant. And to ensure that that to occur, guys like Zachariah Department are gonna should step up and make quite a lot of performs and quite a lot of locations.
Q; So I’m curious — this Modelo Full-Time Fan recruiting contest you’re doing. Followers are sending in recruiting kind movies to you to fee. So are you hoping to see some 40 yard dashes, some face paint?
RB: I wish to see the within of your own home embellished utterly with all of the fan gear, fan photos. I wish to see why you are feeling you’re the primary most passionate fan in faculty soccer, as a result of that’s what we’re searching for. We’re searching for essentially the most passionate followers, individuals who eat, sleep and breathe their faculty. It’s embedded of their DNA. You recognize, that’s the form of followers that I really like. These are the form of followers I like to play in entrance of, and so they’re the explanation why, , we play this recreation is to have the ability to entertain the followers. And I at all times felt like that was part of what I needed to do. I needed to not solely rating touchdowns, however I wish to rating touchdowns in a approach that followers are going to be like, ‘Oh my God, did you see what he did? You see how he scored? Like, you bought to rewind that once more yet another time, ?’ I at all times needed to make folks get up out of their chair.
And so now we’re going to get an opportunity to recruit followers in the identical approach that I used to be recruited. They get an opportunity to be a part of Crew Modelo and solely six folks get to. We have now a six man roster. That’s it. So solely six individuals are going to get an opportunity to be part of this crew. And so it is a very unique, distinctive alternative that not everyone can get an opportunity to be part of. And we’re going to acknowledge them as full as , full time followers for gear, and so they’re going to get an opportunity to fulfill me on the School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship, and a few completely different different perks as nicely that’s going to come back together with being on Crew Modelo. It’s thrilling for me — I really like having the ability to have interaction with followers, have interaction with folks. I really like having the ability to stroll down the road and anyone appears at me and their reminiscences jogged about the place they have been at a particular time and place, , after we’re taking part in a nationwide championship recreation in opposition to Texas and stuff like that.
Q: What fan bases have you ever’ve been actually impressed by?
RB: Oh my goodness, there’s loads. School soccer followers are completely different from NFL followers. Approach completely different. School soccer followers are positively extra captivated with their colleges. You recognize, they’re nearly a bit crazier at video games as nicely. However , when you consider faculty soccer recreation, you bought pageantry, bought the coed part, you bought the band, bought the cheerleaders and also you simply have a lot that the NFL doesn’t have, proper? And you’ve got alumni gamers that come again, , to observe a few of these massive video games. I do know this weekend on the USC-LSU recreation there are going to be some former NFL gamers. They’re going to come back out with Joe Burrow, Odell Beckham, Jr, Patrick Peterson, LSU guys, guys that I do know are gonna be on the market, a bunch of my outdated USC teammates gonna be on the market for the sport. So distinctive and it’s simply completely different, proper?
School soccer is extra of a faith for faculty soccer followers, particularly if you go into the Huge Ten and the SEC, I imply, it’s church and soccer. These are two issues that are held to the very best commonplace in a few of these locations. And , I really like that. I imply, Texas soccer is, , clearly, one of the vital passionate locations for soccer. And , that’s simply what I really like about it and, love in regards to the recreation. So just about the entire SEC — particularly like Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma. I imply it’s simply full insanity in these stadiums. I bought an opportunity to go to some Ohio State video games once I was working in faculty soccer [for television]. Michigan was one other place I bought an opportunity to go and simply see how passionate that fan base is. These are the groups that I’d that form of bounce out to me immediately.
Q: A lot has modified because you have been a participant — with NIL and the switch portal. In what methods do you suppose being a school soccer participant right now is less complicated, after which by which methods do you suppose it’s tougher?
RB: Oh, simpler. Wow, I don’t know if it’s simpler, as a result of being a school soccer participant in itself may be very powerful, and also you’re balancing two full-time jobs, which is being a scholar after which additionally being a participant and it’s very onerous. I bear in mind I had nights the place I’d be up till 1 a.m. doing essays, midterms, exams, prepare for a take a look at, and likewise bought exercises at 6 a.m. And so I felt like once I was in faculty, that was my busiest time, , as a participant, extra busy than once I was within the NFL, since you’re simply having to stability the school expertise, together with attempting to be the perfect participant on the school soccer discipline as nicely. And so I don’t know if it’s simpler for them, particularly when you consider social media, the place that has gone. As a result of let’s say you’ve gotten a foul recreation and now after a recreation it’s what you take care of and the way you take care of it. Now you’ve gotten a man getting on social media, you get 200-300 feedback of individuals saying one thing destructive about one thing that you simply did.
I simply don’t know the way these younger youngsters can’t internalize that and the way they will put together themselves for that, as a result of that’s powerful. It’s powerful. And if you play soccer, you’re taking part in a sport the place you’re continually judged by your efficiency. And sadly, when you don’t have an impressive, superb efficiency, you’re going to get some destructive feedback. And it’s the dumbest factor on the planet, as a result of, , gamers, athletes, shouldn’t dwell for the approval essentially of the general public, however they need to wish to entertain the general public, if that is smart. However once more, the school expertise itself, I don’t know if it’s simpler.
I believe in quite a lot of methods, it’s a bit tougher as a result of there’s a bunch of various distractions which can be occurring now, , and much more info accessible to folks now. I believe gamers should be extra guarded with themselves, with what they take a look at, with what they get up with. In case you’re waking up with Instagram day by day and , hey pay attention — if that’s your Bible, then that’s going to be a troublesome place so that you can reach. As a result of, once more, , we wish to give attention to being the perfect model of ourselves each single day. And you may’t be the perfect model of your self when you’re continually attempting to hunt the approval of what individuals are excited about your performances. Yeah, we wish to all play nice. All of us wish to LeBron James, Patrick, Mahomes, and play like these guys on a regular basis, however that’s not the truth. Actuality is you want failure in your life to achieve success. And sadly, failure in sports activities is magnified. You positively have extra choices accessible to you as a school athlete, however you simply have to have the ability to handle all of it the appropriate approach. And , everyone manages their life in another way.
Q: We’ll finish of a enjoyable query. Have you ever performed the School Soccer 25 online game but? Do you might be you at all times go together with USC as your crew? Or do you want to modify it up?
RB: I mess around with all of the completely different groups. I really like the truth that the sport is again. As a result of that was such an thrilling time, , for me as a participant, but additionally as a fan. I’d play the school recreation with myself on [the cover]. And, , particularly for once more, all the pieces that faculty soccer brings, all of the pageantry that comes together with the video games like that’s a distinct model than what we get within the NFL. And so I believe that is nice for the game, nice for followers. However yeah, I really like the brand new recreation. I really like the realness of it. I really like how they’re attempting to seize the entire pageantry of the sport throughout the recreation. And, and it’s cool. I imply, I do know it’s thrilling for the gamers to see themselves as gamers on this recreation.
