Pat Haden says he would welcome Reggie Bush back to USC

USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said in an interview with CNBC’s Jane Wells that Reggie Bush should “absolutely” be allowed on USC’s campus and that his Heisman Trophy should return to Heritage Hall.

“Reggie Bush is one of the great football players in the history of USC,” Haden said.

The NCAA ordered USC to permanently disassociate from Bush and USC returned a copy of his trophy to the Heisman Trophy Trust as part of imposed sanctions after Bush and his family were found to have accepted cash and improper benefits from would-be agents while he was playing for the Trojans. The sanctions ended last June.

Bush voluntarily returned his trophy to the trust after he faced criticism around college football.

The Heisman website does not list a recipient of the 2005 trophy.

Haden said that Bush’s legacy continues to attract players to USC.

“Kids even today who come here and play football still remember they were first introduced to USC through Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush and those teams that were so successful during that Pete Carroll run,” Haden said.

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