Reggie Bush: 'I always felt like I was gonna get my Heisman Trophy back'

Earlier this week, the Heisman Trust announced that USC legend Reggie Bush would be reinstated into their prestigious fraternity, and will be regaining his 2005 Heisman Trophy that was taken away from him over a decade ago.

Bush would receive his Heisman Trophy at a small event in front of the Trust, as well as multiple past Heisman Trophy winners, to which the college football community rejoiced. With many posting their instant reactions to the news across social media, Bush explained his feelings when he first got the call that the 14-year old fight was finally over.

“When I first got the news, you know, I was excited, obviously, because this was a fight that we’ve been fighting for a very long time,” Bush told Pat McAfee during his show on Friday. “I’m happy that the Heisman trust made the right decision, did the right thing and got the trophy back. And obviously, I was, like I said, I was excited when I got the news, but I’ve always felt like I was gonna get my Heisman Trophy back. Always. I just didn’t know how long it was gonna take.

“And it didn’t matter to me how long it took as well. I was gonna fight until — it could have been another 20 years. I was gonna continue to fight for it. So, I’m just happy that it happened now.”

The news was certainly a long time coming for Bush, who was forced to give up his Heisman Trophy in 2010 after the USC football program was stripped of two seasons worth of victories that included the 2004 BCS National Championship.

An NCAA investigation found that Bush received improper gifts, but amid the ever-changing landscape of college athletics and the birth of the age of name, image and likeness, the Heisman Trust felt it was the proper time to return his rightfully-won Heisman Trophy.

During his time at USC, was a two-time consensus All-American, a two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, a Doak Walker Award winner, a Walter Camp Award winner, the 2005 AP College Football Player of the Year and the 2005 Sporting News Player of the Year, not to mention his Heisman Trophy.

Altogether, Bush logged 3,169 yards rushing, 1,301 yards receiving, 1,522 yards on kick returns and 559 yards on punt returns. He scored 42 touchdowns, doing so rushing, receiving, on a kick return and on punt returns.