ESPN’s latest college football ranking put Carson Palmer at the top of the list for No. 3, and it’s easy to see why USC fans would nod along.
In the network’s countdown of the greatest player to wear each number, Palmer landed at No. 1 for 3 after a career that helped reset the Trojans’ trajectory in the early 2000s. ESPN pointed to the way he bridged the end of the Paul Hackett era and the arrival of Pete Carroll, then turned 2002 into the season that changed everything for USC.
“Perhaps no player did more to rekindle USC's tradition of excellence in the early 2000s than Palmer, who began his career under flagging Paul Hackett, but alongside new head coach Pete Carroll in 2001 and 2002 began the Trojans ' renaissance,” ESPN wrote. “In 2002, he set school records for completions (309), passing yards (3,942) and touchdowns (33) en route to an 11-win campaign -- USC's first in 23 years -- and the Heisman Trophy. Palmer went on to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, setting the foundation for USC to become QBU in the years that followed.”
That breakout came after a rocky start. Palmer arrived in Los Angeles as a prized recruit, but his first four seasons with the Trojans were marked by injuries and uneven play. Everything clicked in his redshirt senior year in 2002, when he teamed with Carroll and offensive coordinator Norm Chow to put together a record-setting run.
Palmer finished that season with 3,942 passing yards and 33 touchdowns, setting USC and Pac-10 marks along the way. He also guided the Trojans to an 11-2 record and an Orange Bowl win over Iowa, while becoming USC’s fifth Heisman Trophy winner and the first Trojans quarterback to take home the award.
His place in USC history goes beyond one huge season. Palmer is widely viewed as the quarterback who started the program’s modern pipeline at the position.
Before him, USC was known more for its running backs and had never really had a true star under center. After Palmer, the Trojans produced a long line of quarterbacks that included Matt Leinart, John David Booty, Mark Sanchez.
Matt Barkley, Cody Kessler, Sam Darnold, and Caleb Williams.
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Quentin Hale Just Sent USC Fans A Big Message About 2027
Quentin Hales commitment gave USC another important foothold in the 2027 recruiting race, and it fit the broader pattern the Trojans have been building in California. The four-star receiver from Corona Centennial joins a class that already has real momentum in-state, with USC holding pledges from five of the top ten prospects in California for the cycle.
Hales value for USC goes beyond his own talent, too, because he has already started working as a recruiter for the program. He has been pushing local standouts such as Malaki Davis and Hayden Koo to take a serious look at the Trojans, a sign that USC is not just landing elite California prospects but also getting them to help sell the vision to others. [Read more 🡒]
USC Commit Jace Cannon Is Starting To Look Like A Bigger Get
Jace Cannons USC pledge in the 2027 class looked like a solid early add when he committed as a tight end, but his stock has started to move in a way that makes the Trojans hold on him feel even more valuable. The Junipero Serra High School junior backed up the buzz with a productive season and the kind of athletic profile that keeps evaluators paying attention, which is why his recruiting momentum has only grown in recent weeks.
On3/Rivals rewarded that progress with a bump to four-star status, a sign that Cannon is no longer just a promising local commit but a prospect whose ceiling is drawing real national notice. USC still has a young tight end commit with room to develop, especially in the physical parts of the position, but the bigger question now is whether the Trojans can keep him in the fold as more programs take a closer look. [Read more 🡒]
USC Recruits Made A Bigger Statement Than Fans Expected At 7v7
The Battle at the Beach 7v7 at Edison High in Huntington Beach gave a packed group of Southern California programs a chance to show off, but the USC pipeline stood out in a way that went beyond the usual summer camp buzz. Among the 20 high schools in the mix, several top recruits and Trojans commits kept flashing the kind of versatility that makes 7v7 more than just a passing drill, with receivers, defensive backs and hybrid athletes all taking turns making their case.
Honor Faalave-Johnson, Quentin Hale and Jalen Flowers were especially hard to miss, each showing why USC has been so aggressive in this part of the recruiting map. The most intriguing part for the Trojans is how many of these players are not just winning one-on-one snaps, but impacting games in multiple spots on the field, which is exactly the sort of development that can turn a strong summer showing into something much bigger once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]