Russ Saunders (1999) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Russ Saunders

Induction:
1999

Russ Saunders, nicknamed “Racehorse Russ,” was a member of USC's first national championship team (1928). A 3-year letterman (1927-28-29), he won USC's Most Inspirational Player Award in 1929. He was USC's rushing and scoring leader in 1929, and he had 1,567 career rushing yards. He played in the 1930 Rose Bowl, scoring a touchdown and passing for 3 others to win Player of the Game honors. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1994. The Tommy Trojan statue on the USC campus was partially modeled after him. He played professionally with Green Bay in 1931. He then was an assistant director and production manager in Hollywood. He died on April 28, 1987, at the age of 81.