USC’s Bush Runs Away With Top AP Award

USC tailback Reggie Bush was chosen the Associated Press player of the year Monday, adding to his list of awards, which includes the Heisman Trophy.

As with the voting for the Heisman, Bush won the AP award easily. He received 59 votes from a panel of 65 media members.

Texas quarterback Vince Young received five votes, and Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley got the other.

Bush has also won the Walter Camp player-of-the-year award and the Doak Walker Award as best running back in the country, and was a unanimous AP first-team All-American.

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Top-ranked USC resumes practice today for the Jan. 4 Rose Bowl against second-ranked Texas, and players also will have a post-practice activity that looks further into the future.

Coach Pete Carroll will conduct a seminar to educate players about the pros and cons of leaving school early for the NFL draft.

Bush, a junior, is expected to declare sometime after the Rose Bowl that he will turn pro. Fellow junior tailback LenDale White, junior flanker Steve Smith, junior safety Darnell Bing, defensive lineman Lawrence Jackson, and offensive linemen Winston Justice, Fred Matua and Sam Baker are other draft-eligible players who are not seniors.

Pat Kirwan, who worked with Carroll with the New York Jets, said he would take part in the seminar.

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USC safety Kevin Ellison and kicker Troy Van Blarcom were selected to the Sporting News Pacific 10 Conference All-Freshman team.

Ellison suffered a season-ending knee injury after intercepting a pass in USC’s comeback victory at Arizona State.

Van Blarcom has handled kickoffs all season.

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Gary Klein

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Josh Swogger, who started six games at quarterback for Washington State in 2004, said he is transferring to Montana, a Division I-AA school. He will be eligible to play next season.

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Arkansas State linebacker Chris Littleton is expected to play tonight in the New Orleans Bowl despite being arrested for allegedly assaulting a law officer who was breaking up a fight on the Indians’ team bus. Littleton, a junior, has started the last five games.