Troy Polamalu, Two Others Represent USC On College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Troy Polamalu features on the College Football Hall of Fame Ballot for the first time after his NFL retirement alongside fellow USC greats Matt Leinart and Mark Carrier.

The newly released College Football Hall of Fame Ballot includes three USC football greats, Troy Polamalu, Matt Leinart and Mark Carrier, in contention for induction into the Class of 2017.

This is Polamalu’s first appearance on the ballot after his lengthy and decorated NFL career ended last year. The safety was a two-time first team All-American at USC and a finalist for the Thorpe Award in 2002.

As a captain and MVP, Polamalu was part of the first generation of Trojan greats under Pete Carroll. Leading USC to the Orange Bowl along with Carson Palmer, he helped set the stage for the Trojans eventual national championship run in 2003.

Leinart built on the foundation set by the likes of Polamalu.

Though he missed out on first ballot selection last year, Leinart has a strong resume which could see him among those inducted next year. He was a Heisman winner, a two-time All-American and two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year. He found himself in the national championship game each of his three seasons as a starter and won two titles for the Trojans.

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Mark Carrier will hope that this is his year after several ballot inclusions without success. The 1989 Jim Thorpe Award winner was a two-time first team All-American. He led the Pac-12 in interceptions as a senior with seven picks.

The Hall of Fame will announce the newest inductees next year on January 6 in Tampa, days before the College Football Playoff National Championship.

USC has the second-most College Football Hall of Famers in the nation, behind only Notre Dame. The Trojans are five players short of the Irish’s 45.

Tony Boselli was the last Trojan Hall of Fame inductee in the Class of 2014.

Dennis Thurman was on the ballot last year but missed out this year.