Bush, Not Leinart, Is MVP

Quarterback Matt Leinart won the Heisman Trophy, but sophomore running back Reggie Bush was honored as USC’s most valuable player Tuesday night at the Trojans’ awards banquet at the Beverly Hilton.

Bush, a consensus All-American, amassed 2,181 all-purpose yards and finished fifth in the Heisman balloting.

Senior defensive tackles Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson shared the award for defensive lineman of the year. Sam Baker, a redshirt freshman tackle, was offensive lineman of the year.

Redshirt freshman Desmond Reed was USC’s special teams player of the year. Linebacker Matt Grootegoed, a senior, and junior Lofa Tatupu shared the award for most inspirational player.

Top-ranked USC (12-0) plays No. 2 Oklahoma (12-0) Jan. 4 in the Orange Bowl, this season’s bowl championship series title game.

The Trojans will practice today with a full squad for the first time in a week. They will also practice Thursday, and then break until Monday, when they will begin daily preparations for the Orange Bowl.

USC departs for Miami on Dec. 28.

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Because no criminal charges resulted from a Los Angeles Police Department sexual-assault investigation that involved Trojan football players, USC will not conduct an independent investigation, a school administrator said.

According to documents released Monday by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, there was no evidence that “any criminal activity occurred,” with regard to the alleged assault.

“The matter is basically over,” said Michael L. Jackson, USC’s vice president of student affairs. “There was never a complaint made against any students internally. Our process starts with a complaint.”

Jackson said he had not seen the district attorney’s charge evaluation worksheet. When informed that it stated that alcohol and marijuana were being used at the complex where the alleged incident occurred, Jackson said, “That would be something we would talk about through the department of athletics to see if there was something that we should act on.”