USC football: 5 great Trojans who didn’t live up to the NFL hype

Lendale White couldn’t find success with the Titans.

When you think about USC football from 2003-06, the one running back that undoubtedly comes to mind is Reggie Bush. He was one of the most electric playmakers in college football history and wowed almost every time he was on the field. But at the same time, his running mate in the Trojans backfield, LenDale White, may have been the more consistent and productive player of the two.

White’s crowning achievement in college football was the 2005 season. Though he’d already rushed for over 1,800 yards and 28 touchdowns in his first two years with the Trojans, he largely outplayed Bush in what ended up being his final season at USC. White rushed for 1,302 yards on only 197 carries and racked up an incredible 24 touchdowns along the way. He earned First-Team All-American honors for his incredible season.

Despite sharing the backfield with Bush, White is still ninth on USC’s career rushing yards list and ranks first in career rushing touchdowns. After his prolific 2005 campaign, he declared for the 2006 NFL Draft. However, there were concerns immediately about him as a pro as he showed up to the NFL Combine out of shape and drew the ire of many. Even still, the Tennessee Titans selected him at No. 45 overall.

The running back struggled mightily in the NFL. He played in 58 games over four seasons with the Titans and, though he had 1,110 yards and seven scores in the 2007 season and then 15 touchdowns the year after, he averaged only 3.7 yards per carry for his career and was out of the league after just four seasons. To me, that’s a far cry from the outstanding player he was for the Trojans.