From TributeToTroy

After a 25-year hiatus, USC returned to the top of the college football world when it won the 2003 AP national championship.

Head coach Pete Carroll, in just his third year at Troy, guided his Trojans to a 12-1 record and their second consecutive Pac-10 title. USC closed the season by winning its last 9 games, including a dominating victory over No. 4 Michigan in the 2004 Rose Bowl. USC scored at least 30 points in 11 consecutive games, including 40 points in 7 in a row (both Pac-10 records), en route to tallying 534 total points (another Pac-10 mark). For just the second time in history, USC swept traditional rivals UCLA and Notre Dame in consecutive years.

Not many predicted the 2003 team's success. After all, these Trojans had to replace a Heisman Trophy winner (Carson Palmer) and an All-American safety (Troy Polamalu), among others. But Trojans fans got an inkling of the team's potential when USC opened its season at No. 6 Auburn with a 23-0 whitewash. The only loss came in triple overtime at California.

Five players won All-American first team honors: quarterback Matt Leinart, wide receiver Mike Williams, defensive end Kenechi Udeze, offensive tackle Jacob Rogers and punter Tom Malone. Leinart and Williams finished sixth and eighth, respectively, in the Heisman Trophy voting. And Carroll was recognized as the National Coach of the Year.

Leinart, who had never thrown a pass in his USC career before the 2004 campaign, was the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year (Stanford's John Elway was the only other sophomore so honored) and set a Pac-10 record with 38 TD passes. Williams, another sophomore, caught 95 passes with a school-record 16 TDs. Udeze tied for the national lead in sacks with 16.5, while soph Malone shattered the USC season punting average record (49.0).

Other key contributors were wide receiver Keary Colbert, who became USC's career receptions leader, the rotating tailback threesome of Hershel Dennis, LenDale White (the first true freshman to top Troy in rushing) and Reggie Bush, cornerback Will Poole, center Norm Katnik, defensive tackles Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson, placekicker Ryan Killeen and linebacker Lofa Tatupu.

The Trojan defense topped the nation in rushing defense and was second in turnover margin, forcing 42 turnovers and scoring 8 TDs.