69 days to USC football: Don’t forget about Jim Homan

No. 69 hasn’t been the most successful number at USC football, but let’s not forget all-conference lineman Jim Homan who battled with the best of them.

There are now just 69 days until USC football kicks off their 2019 season.

Since the date on August 31 with Fresno State isn’t quite within touching distance just yet, we at Reign of Troy are passing the time by considering the legacy of every Trojan jersey.

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The No. 69 is next:

Who wore it best?

If you’re having trouble calling to mind the top No. 69 in USC history, don’t feel bad. It’s far from the most decorated number.

The jersey has only been worn by one all-conference pick in nearly 80 years of being in circulation. And that player himself was overshadowed by other greats who would come after him.

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Guard Jim Homan was a standout for Long Beach City College in 1964 before joining the Trojans for the 1965 season. Even getting to that point was a slog. He weighed 185 pounds at offensive tackle in high school and put himself through a rigorous weight training program in order to arrive at USC weighing 225 pounds.

The line that year wasn’t a particularly memorable one, though it included all-conference linemen like Chuck Arrobio and Frank Lopez. Homan made his way into a starting role immediately because of injuries. He performed well enough that he was considered an All-American candidate going into the 1966 season.

“He’s a steady, reliable, highly intelligent football player,” John McKay was quoted in the Los Angeles Times.

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He was also USC’s only returning starter up front in a year when they already faced the momentous task of replacing Mike Garrett. The good news for the Trojans and Homan was the position change of a defensive tackle called Ron Yary, who would take over offensive tackle duties next to Homan on the right.

The 1966 season opened with a road trip to Texas and weight once again became an issue for Homan. He called himself a “weakling” a 213 pounds coming back from Austin.

“I went into the Texas game weighing 230 but lost 17 pounds in all that humidity,” he said in the LA Times later that year. “I’ve never been able to gain it all back.”

He was obviously big enough to help USC win seven of their first eight games, which was enough to take the Pac-12 crown even though the campaign ultimately ended in 7-4 disappointment.

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The UPI included Homan as an honorable mention on their All-American team and a first teamer on their All-Pacific Coast squad while the AAWU recognized him as an all-conference player.

Who wears it now?

The most recent Trojan to wear the No. 69 was center Cyrus Hobbi, who is best known for his ill-fated start against Stanford in 2012. He vacated it after the 2013 season and no one has worn it since.

Stats to know: 69

• Offensive tackle Steve Riley was USC’s 69th All-American in 1973.
• All-American quarterback Orv Mohler attempted 69 passes in his Trojan career from 1930 to 1932. He completed a total of 18 of them while tossing 14 interceptions.
• Nose guard George Achica had 69 tackles in 1980, including 11 tackles for loss, a career-high. Linebacker Jack Del Rio matched that exact stat line in 1981.
• Reggie Bush’s career long receptions was 69 yards against Notre Dame in 2004.
• Running back Stephen Carr rushed for 69 yards on seven carries in his debut in 2017 against Western Michigan.