1952 USC Trojans football team
The 1952 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 1952 college football season. In their second year under head coach Jess Hill, the Trojans compiled a 10–1 record, won the Pacific Coast Conference championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 254 to 47.
The Trojans finished the season ranked #4 in the final United Press Coaches Poll and #5 in the final AP Poll. They faced five ranked opponents during the 1952 season and won four of those games: a 10–0 victory over #4 California on October 25; a 33–0 victory over #17 Washington on November 15; a 14–12 victory over #3 UCLA on November 22; a 9–0 loss to Notre Dame on November 29; and a 7–0 victory over Wisconsin in the 1953 Rose Bowl. USC's victory in the Rose Bowl was the first for the Pacific Coast Conference after seven consecutive losses to the representatives of the Big Ten Conference.
Jim Sears led the team in passing with 51 of 105 passes completed for 739 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. Leon Sellers led the team in rushing with 103 carries for 386 yards and two touchdowns. Leon Clarke was the leading receiver with 25 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns.
Eight Trojans received honors from the Associated Press, United Press, or International News Service on the 1952 All-Pacific Coast Conference football team: back Jim Sears ; back Lindon Crow ; defensive end Bob Hooks, USC ; tackle Robert Van Doren, USC ; guard Elmer Willhoite, USC ; guard Marv Goux, USC ; center Lou Welsh, USC ; and linebacker George Timberlake, USC.
Sears and Wilhoite were also consensus All-Americans.Schedule
Players
The following players were members of the 1952 USC Trojans football team.
- Charley Ane, 6'2", 254 pounds, right guard, #60, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Al Barry, 6'2", 221 pounds, right tackle, #79, Los Angeles
- George Bozanic, 6'2", 207 pounds, quarterback and linebacker, #38, Lander, Wyoming
- Rudy Bukich, 6'1", 186 pounds, left halfback, #18, St. Louis, Missouri
- Al Carmichael, 6'0", 185 pounds, right halfback, #21, Hawthorne, California
- Bob Cox, 5'8", 183 pounds, right guard, #62, Pasadena, California
- Lindon Crow, 6'1", 191 pounds, right halfback, #36, Corcoran, California
- Aramis Dandoy, 5'11", 182 pounds, right halfback, #27, Torrance, California
- Ed Fouch, 6'3", 229 pounds, tackle, #49, Santa Ana, California
- Marvin Goux, 5'10", 181 pounds, linebacker, #20, Santa Barbara, California, #86, Los Angeles
- Addison Hawthorne, 5'10", 194 pounds, fullback and safety, #23, Los Angeles
- Bob Hooks, 6'3", 206 pounds, right end, #58, Los Angeles
- Des Koch, 6'1", 207 pounds, tailback, #43, Shelton, Washington
- Ron Miller, 6'4", 204 pounds, left end, #88, Los Angeles
- Tom Nickoloff, 6'3", 218 pounds, right end, #80, Los Angeles
- Dick Nunis, 6'0", 182 pounds, right halfback, #26, Los Angeles
- Dick Petty, 6'0", 190 pounds, center and end, #54, Los Angeles
- Bob Peviani, 6'1", 212 pounds, left guard, #66, Los Angeles
- Jim Psaltis, 6'1", 186 pounds, left halfback, safety, #37, Oakland, California
- Ed Pucci, 6'0", 209 pounds, left guard, #64, Canton, Ohio
- Bill Riddle, 6'0", 190 pounds, quarterback, linebacker, #52, El Centro, California
- Jim Sears, 5'9", 165 pounds, halfback and safety, #32
- Leon Sellers, 6'0", 194 pounds, fullback, #44, Upland, California
- Don Stillwell, 6'0", 183 pounds, left end, #84, San Francisco
- Sam "The Toe" Tsagalakis
- George Timberlake, 6'0", 207 pounds, linebacker, #56, Long Beach, California
- Bob Van Doren, 6'3-1/2", 203 pounds, right tackle and defensive captain, #75, San Diego
- Chuck Weeks, 6'2", 219 pounds, right tackle, #72, Columbus, Ohio
- Harry Welsh, 5'10", 168 pounds, halfback, #25, Akron, Ohio
- Lou Welsh, 6'1", 193 pounds, center, #50, Ontario, California
- Elmer Wilhoite, left guard, 6'1", 217 pounds, #73 (first-team All-American pick by UP, INS, NEA, Look magazine, and Collier's Weekly
Coaching staff and other personnel
- Head coach: Jess Hill
- Assistant coaches: Mel Hein ; Joe Muha ; Don Clark ; Bill Fisk ; Walter Hargesheimer ; Jess Mortensen
- Senior manager: John Broadbent
- Yell Kings: Al Gallion, Bob Arnett, Jim Strode, Larry Stone, and Dick Chapman
