College football is very deep in tradition. There is the famous dotting of the “I” by the Ohio State University marching band. Ralphie the Buffalo leads the Colorado Buffaloes onto the field every Saturday. Chief Osceola rides his horse Renegade to midfield and plants the flaming spear down at Doak-Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee before the Florida State Seminoles take the field. These are just a few of the traditions in college football, but the tradition at the University of Southern California cannot be overlooked. The tradition is jersey number 55.
The lineage started with former National Football League middle linebacker Junior Seau. Seau starred for the Men of Troy in the late 1980’s as he was a first team All-American in 1989. Seau’s contributions didn’t go unnoticed as he was selected fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1990 NFL Draft. Seau was an intense competitor that was a 12-time Pro Bowl selection during his 20-year NFL career that saw him play for the Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots and he will one day be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 1990, outside linebacker Willie McGinest kept the tradition going at USC. In his four years at USC, McGinest amassed 29 sacks as he was the fourth overall pick of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Patriots. McGinest went on to win three Super Bowl Championships with the Patriots and he holds the NFL record for most career playoff sacks with 16.
Linebacker Chris Claiborne was a four-year letter winner at Southern California and was a Butkus Award winner in 1998 as the nation’s top linebacker. The Detroit Lions drafted him ninth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. Although Claiborne didn’t enjoy the success in the NFL that Seau and McGinest did, he still enjoyed an eight-year NFL career that saw him play for the Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, and New York Giants.
Current Giants outside linebacker Keith Rivers came to USC as a highly touted defender from San Bernardino, California. Rivers was All-Pac-10 in 2006 and 2007 and he also was an All-American in 2007. Rivers helped USC win consecutive Rose Bowls in 2007 and 2008 as the Trojans defense held Michigan and Illinois to a combined 35 points in both games. Rivers played on what could arguably be the greatest linebacking core in college football history with Cincinnati Bengals middle linebacker Rey Maualuga, Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, and Houston Texans inside linebacker Brian Cushing.
Rivers would go on to be drafted by the Bengals ninth overall at the 2008 NFL Draft. Injuries have derailed Rivers’ career as he hasn’t played a full season in the NFL, but he is looking to change that now a member of the Giants.
A player cannot come to USC and automatically request jersey number 55. It is an honor that is bestowed upon a player by coaches as they feel that the next linebacker can live up to the legacy of Seau, McGinest, Claiborne, and Rivers. USC head coach Lane Kiffin has put that honor on junior linebacker Lamar Dawson. In 2012, Dawson was USC’s fourth leading tackler with 77 and he also had 2 interceptions. As a junior more will be expected as USC looks to rebound from losing five of their last six ballgames in 2012 with a new defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast at the helm, but Dawson definitely has a future in the NFL as he is turning into a fierce tackler.
The number 55 is so coveted and respected at USC that only the tradition of the famed “black shirts” at the University of Nebraska can come close to touching its legacy. Most people in the United States relate with the number 55 as the speed limit in most states, but at ‘SC, 55 is where players begin to accelerate.
Source: Pro-football-reference.com, Cfbstats.com
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