USC’s countdown to kickoff has reached one of the program’s biggest names: Carson Palmer, the quarterback who helped change the Trojans’ offensive identity and capped it all with a Heisman Trophy.
Palmer wore No. 3 for USC from 1998 to 2002, and his path in cardinal and gold wasn’t a straight line to stardom. He arrived as a highly touted recruit, but his first four seasons were marked by injuries and inconsistency. The breakthrough finally came in 2002, when Palmer returned as a redshirt senior and put everything together under head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Norm Chow.
That season, Palmer rewrote the USC and Pac-10 passing record books. He threw for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns, led the Trojans to an 11-2 record, and guided them to an Orange Bowl win over Iowa. He also became USC’s fifth Heisman Trophy winner and the first Trojans quarterback ever to take home the award.
What Palmer did at USC went beyond one huge season. He is widely credited with launching the run of quarterbacks that followed him through the program.
Before Palmer, USC was known more for its running backs than for a star under center. After him came Matt Leinart, John David Booty, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley, Cody Kessler, Sam Darnold, and Caleb Williams.
Palmer’s career didn’t stop in Los Angeles. The Cincinnati Bengals made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, and he went on to play 15 seasons in the league with Cincinnati, the Oakland Raiders, and the Arizona Cardinals. He made three Pro Bowls and, in 2015 with Arizona, earned second-team All-Pro honors after throwing for a career-high 4,671 yards and 35 touchdowns.
His accomplishments also carried him into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. More recently, in December 2024, Palmer was named head coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Orange County, his alma mater, and he is currently entering his second season leading the program.
In Other News...
USC Fans Are Getting A Very Different Coliseum Experience In 2026
USC spent the offseason listening closely to its crowd, gathering fan feedback after the 2025 season with an eye toward making Saturdays at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum feel fresher in 2026. The result is a noticeable push to upgrade the entire game day atmosphere, from a new pregame fireworks show to a more active in-stadium host and a family ticket package designed to make coming to games a little easier and a little more appealing.
There will also be a more ambitious food-and-fun element around the venue, including new concession items and a rotating "Dog of the Game" promotion, plus additional game day experiences whose proceeds will support the Trojan Athletic Fund. USC is also planning select home-game tributes to championship-winning Trojan teams and student-athletes, a reminder that the Coliseum experience is being built not just around entertainment, but around the program's history and the people who helped shape it. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A Defensive Newcomer Who Already Looks Ready To Matter
USC wrapped up a practice session with the opener against San Jose State looming, and the focus on the defensive side has started to sharpen. Alex VanSumeren, Jide Abasiri, Chasen Johnson and Jontez Williams all offered their thoughts on where the unit stands, with the general tone pointing toward a group that feels more settled and more invested in the work it has put in during camp.
Williams, a fifth-year senior and former Iowa State transfer, is one of the more interesting pieces in that mix because of how much ground he has already covered in his college career. He talked about his growth as a player and his first game in USC colors now drawing close, which gives the Trojans another newcomer to watch as the season begins and the defense starts to show what kind of role he might be ready to play. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Defensive Duo Faces Immediate Pressure To Deliver
Gary Patterson and Paul Gonzales have picked up where they left off at TCU, only this time the reunion is unfolding at USC as the Trojans get ready for their season opener against San Jose State. Patterson is running the defense, Gonzales is helping shape the safeties and pass game, and the early sense around the program is that the familiarity between the two coaches is already paying off in how smoothly the unit is being put together.
Jontez Williams and Chasen Johnson have both pointed to that chemistry and leadership as reasons for confidence heading into the opener, and the pressure is immediate because USC does not have much time to wait for the defense to show it can hold up. The schedule offers a bigger measuring stick soon enough, too, with the Oct. 10 road trip to Penn State set for a 4:30 p.m. PT kickoff on NBC and Peacock, a game that will say a lot about how far this new-look defensive setup has come. [Read more 🡒]