by MARK GREY

8.11.09

There isn’t a real college football fan in the world who doesn’t remember the 2006 Rose Bowl.  The game pitted top-ranked USC against second-ranked Texas with the national championship on the line.  USC entered the game with a 34-game winning streak, while Texas had a 19-game winning streak of its own.  In fact, the combined 53-game winning streak was an NCAA record for two teams facing each other.  With expectations for the game through the roof, the two teams did the impossible: they put on an even better game than expected.  The game is regarded as one of the greatest college football games in history, which shouldn’t be a surprise.  After all, we were watching the future stars of the NFL … or were we?

The 2006 National Championship game had everything any football fan could ask for.  It was the last game ever announced by the great Keith Jackson, bringing his 53-year career in the booth to an end. It also garnered the highest TV ratings for the Rose Bowl since 1986.  ESPN named the game the “greatest game of the year” in any sport.  Not only was the winner of that year's Heisman Trophy on the field, so were the two runner-ups and the Heisman winner from the prior year.  The game had more star power than your average NFL game.  Fans all over tuned in to see the stars shine...and they surely didn’t disappoint that night.  But what they have all done since then is a different story.

As great of a game as the two teams put on that night, it’s starting to look like the participants of that night’s game have been cursed.  Over the next two drafts, over 25 different players from that night's game have gone on to play in the NFL with just about all of them falling very short of expectations.  How can so many ‘can’t miss’ players miss so terribly?  We are talking about the best players from the best schools in two of the biggest football-playing states in the country.

Four of the players from that night’s game would go on to be drafted in the top 10 of that year’s draft.  As talented as all of them are, the four of them have combined to make more news off the field than on it.  Reggie Bush, who, although not the bust some are calling him, has come no where close to living up to all the hype he arrived with in the NFL.  Coming out of USC, Bush was the highest graded player in the ESPN/Mel Kipper draft era.  Let the NFL scouts tell it and there wasn’t anything Bush couldn’t do.  When the Texans passed on Bush with the first pick, draft experts like ESPN's Len Pasquarelli called it the biggest draft day mistake in draft history.  Three years into his NFL career and Bush, once regarded as the most dangerous man in football, has a career average of 3.7 yards a carry with no carries over 45 yards.  His 12-career rushing touchdowns to 11 fumbles is just one example of the many ways Bush has not met expectations.

Vince Young, who stole the show that night in the Rose Bowl, was selected third overall and pegged as the franchise quarterback for the Tennessee Titans.  After some success early in his career, Young is now entering his fourth year in the NFL as a back-up to a journey-man quarterback who, ironically, was brought to the team to back him up.  Young has had meltdowns on and off the field and looks like anything but the superman he appeared to be that night in Pasadena.

Texas safety Michael Huff, who was all over the field that night making plays when his team needed them most, was drafted seventh overall.  After once being called the next Ed Reed, two sub-par seasons later, Huff lost his starting job to an undrafted second-year player.  Huff, whose biggest asset was his ability to play both safety positions, has already failed at both.  His one career interception in three years is not what Raiders fans had in mind when he was drafted in the top 10.

Not only was Matt Leinart the poster boy for USC, he was one of the most celebrated quarterbacks in college history.  If Matt had came out after winning the Heisman his junior year, he would have been the hands-down first pick overall.  Instead, he returned to school and was drafted 10^th in 2006.  After season-ending injuries in his first two seasons, Leinart was slated as the starter going into training camp for his third season.  After a very poor preseason showing, Leinart lost his job to Kurt Warner and the rest is history.  Warner led the team to the Super Bowl and Leinart is now battling for the second string job with a guy who has been in the NFL for five years and has one career pass attempt.  To say Leinart's career has not gone as expected is being kind.

While the biggest names in that night's game haven’t gotten off to the best starts, neither have the other stars who played in that game. Winston Justice, an offensive lineman for USC, was drafted in the second round by the Eagles and now has one start in three years.  David Thomas, a tight end for Texas who had a game-high 10 catches in the Rose Bowl, was drafted in the third round by the Patriots and in three years has managed only 21 catches and one touchdown.  Dominique Byrd, the wideout from USC who had four catches that night, was drafted in the third round by the Rams and was released after just one year.  Dwayne Jarrett, the star USC receiver, was drafted in the second round the following year, and has only managed 16 catches over his first two years. His USC teammate, Steve Smith, was drafted in the same round and has scored one touchdown in two seasons. 

The most productive star of that night’s game has been the one people expected the least from: Lendale White.  White was a goal line back at USC who could pound away all game long, and in his three seasons with the Titans he has done just that.  Of all the big name stars, White is the one whose NFL role most resembles his collegiate role.  With the rookie Chris Johnson coming in last year and being the big play threat, White was able to be the bruiser back he naturally is.  Bush has been asked to run up inside, which is new to him, and Young has been asked to stay in the pocket and make throws.  Both of them have had trouble learning their new roles.  Huff’s poor play is the most puzzling because he has the tools, but going to the Raiders is a whole different curse...so he may just be doubly cursed.  Many questioned if Leinhart could produce at a high level if he wasn’t surrounded with superior talent, and he has done very little to prove them wrong.

Could it really be that all of these great players were vastly overrated?  Could there really be a 2006 Rose Bowl curse?  Or could it be the sum of both great teams was greater than the parts?  No one will ever forget the great show those players put on that night in 2006, let's just hope that they can turn their NFL careers into something worth remembering, because most of them are off to a slow start.