Reggie Bush Unrecognized by Young Big Ten Stars at Media Days

Las Vegas, NV — At Big Ten Media Days, a surprising moment unfolded when players were shown a photo of Reggie Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner. Many of them struggled to recognize the former USC star.

During the event, CBS Sports asked various players if they could identify Bush from an older photo. The results were disheartening: Wisconsin center Jake Renfro guessed he was NBA star LeBron James, while linebacker Bryce Boettcher asked if it was Adrian Peterson. Offensive lineman Henry Lutovsky noted he was just two years old when Bush won the award.

Surprisingly, only linebacker Dariel Djabome seemed to recognize Bush, though he didn’t remember his name. This moment sparked reactions across social media, with fans expressing disbelief that today’s college athletes couldn’t identify one of the sport’s legends.

Fans were not shy in voicing their disappointment. One user wrote, “This hurts my soul,” while another remarked, “This is criminal,” highlighting the generational gap in sports recognition.

Many pointed out that most of the current players were born after Bush’s career-making Heisman season. College seniors are typically around 21 years old today, meaning they were toddlers when Bush took college football by storm. This context doesn’t excuse their lack of knowledge, but it provides insight into why they struggled to identify him.

Bush remains one of eight players to win the Heisman Trophy for USC, a record for any FBS program. He was a two-time All-American and had an outstanding junior season. He left college football as the second overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and enjoyed a successful 11-year career in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints.

This incident at Big Ten Media Days serves as a reminder of the changing landscape of sports awareness among younger athletes.