Sports
The legacy and legality of the Bush Push 20 years later
ON THE SIDELINE at Notre Dame Stadium, USC coach Pete Carroll frantically waved for quarterback Matt Leinart to spike the ball. The Trojans trailed 31-28, inches from the goal line with seven seconds left.
“[Leinart] was to look back at [offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian] on the sidelines, and if we wanted to sneak it, we could sneak it,” Carroll said this week. “And he had to point at him. So, we tell him to sneak it. So, he points at the line, and he looks at the line of scrimmage, and he goes, ‘There’s no way, they’re all jammed up.’ And he looks back at us, and Reggie [Bush] yelled something at him, ‘Go for it. Go for it.'”
Moments earlier, Leinart had fumbled out of bounds inside the 1. The clock mistakenly ran out, and NBC’s Tom Hammond declared, “Notre Dame has won,” as Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis raised his arms and fans stormed the field.
When play resumed, the Trojans would have one last chance to extend their winning streak to 28 games.
Leinart sneaked left from under center, but he was bounced backward into a half spin and into the path of Bush, who famously shoved him across for the winning score.
“It was about as sweet a finish as you could have in a great situation to keep the streak alive and all that, too,” Carroll said.
Twenty years ago, the “Bush Push” would become one of the most unforgettable moments in college football history — and one of its most controversial. In the box score, it was the touchdown that preserved USC’s dynasty and allowed for the Rose Bowl matchup with Texas that became an all-time classic. In the rulebook, though, it was illegal.
Except, it was almost never called. In fact, the rule had become a running joke among officials.
“You were teased if you made the call,” said former NCAA official and current ESPN analyst Matt Austin. “It was such a rare occurrence.”
In the years that followed, an obscure rule became a flashpoint. It was debated, tweaked and, eventually, led to strategic evolution.
THE “HELPING THE Ball Carrier” rule had been part of the NCAA rulebook for decades. Its language was virtually identical in every edition dating back to at least 1950.
“No [teammate] shall grasp, pull, push, lift or charge into him to assist him in forward progress.”
The idea is believed to have originated as a way to differentiate football from rugby. Teammates could block defenders, but once the ball carrier was engaged, the play was meant to be his alone. Anything more — a shove, a tug, a lift — was considered an unfair advantage.
It was almost impossible to enforce in short-yardage piles, where pushes and blocks blur together, especially near the goal line.
Steve Shaw remembers that problem well. Now the NCAA’s national coordinator of officials, Shaw spent more than two decades on the field, and he has seen just about everything. But in the 2000 season, his crew made a rare, yet memorable call.
It happened during a Middle Tennessee–UConn game. Late in the contest, a Middle Tennessee lineman reached out and grabbed his running back, helping drag him toward the end zone. Shaw’s line judge, Mike Taylor, threw the flag.
“At the end of the year, there’s a report listing every penalty called nationally,” Shaw said. “Under aiding the runner, there was one — and it was ours. We gave him a hard time for calling it, but it was the right call.”
The rule technically existed, but almost nobody enforced it. And when it was flagged, it was usually because a player was being pulled, not pushed.
So when Bush shoved Leinart across the goal line in 2005, the officials did what most would have done: They kept the flag in their pockets. In fact, after Leinart’s touchdown, the Pac-10 officiating crew huddled up to discuss the play only to emerge with an unsportsmanlike contact penalty against the Trojans for their celebration after. There was no mention of the legality of the push on the broadcast, either.
It wasn’t until the next day when the conversation shifted from the game’s remarkable ending into a nationwide rules debate that is still built into the game’s lore.
Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen admitted to the Los Angeles Times that his conference’s officiating crew could have called a penalty, but made essentially the same point Shaw did two decades later.
“I just don’t think they ever call it,” Hansen said, adding it would have been different if it was a pull, not a push.
This is where the consensus seemed to land. The play looked like part of the normal chaos that happens at the goal line. By the letter of the law, Bush committed a foul. But by the spirit of the game, he just did what any teammate would do.
RULE CHANGES IN college football often move slowly. Proposals wind through the NCAA Rules Committee, a rotating group of coaches, officials and administrators who meet each offseason.
Most suggestions come after issues are identified over the course of a season. If the committee deems something urgent, it can move quickly. If not, it can linger in discussion until a consensus forms.
Sometimes, a single play can trigger an immediate rewrite. When Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett faked a slide in the 2021 ACC championship game — beginning to give himself up before resuming his run for a long touchdown — the reaction was instant. Within days, the NCAA issued a memo closing the loophole. The same thing happened last year when Oregon‘s Dan Lanning found a way to shave off game time by using a 12th man on defense.
The Bush Push didn’t work that way.
Despite the fierce public debate — and the way it was officiated — the rule remained unchanged in the years that followed.
It wasn’t until 2013, when the rules committee formally decided to adjust the official wording.
“The rules committee had a good debate about this and they watched much video, including the Bush Push play,” Shaw said. “Overall, they came to the conclusion that it was very difficult to determine when a push was truly a foul.
“There were few guidelines that could be given to make this a consistent call. Examples were pushing a rugby scrum pile vs. pushing the runner specifically, and they felt it was nearly impossible to distinguish between pushing a runner, leaning on a runner, pushing the pile or leaning on the pile. They felt removing the ‘push’ component would be the best course of action.”
When the NCAA released its updated rulebook for the 2013 season, the word “push” was simply deleted, bringing it in line with a similar rule change the NFL made in 2005.
Without realizing it, the committee paved the way for innovation in the sport.
Right away, coaches tried to use the subtle change to their advantage, including former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, whose Wildcats started running what is now commonly referred to as the tush push later that year.
“It was just a natural thing to do,” Snyder told ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler earlier this year. “We needed to create a way in which we could take the shortest distance to get the short distance we needed to go and not get held up, because everybody put all the people over there, so we wanted to compete against no matter how many people you put there.
“We wanted to be strong enough not to get held up at the line of scrimmage. And we would bring one or two, or on occasion, three backs up right off of the hip of the center, and on the snap of the ball, we would push the center or push the back of the quarterback.”
That small tactical adjustment eventually made its way to the pros. Nearly a decade later, the Philadelphia Eagles adopted a version of the play built around quarterback Jalen Hurts, perfecting it into an almost unstoppable short-yardage weapon. Which, once again, led to a nationwide debate about whether pushing — once outlawed, then ignored and finally embraced — belonged in football at all.
In May, a proposal from the Green Bay Packers to ban the tush push came up two votes shy of the 24 it needed to pass.
At the NCAA level, the play drew some discussion over the offseason, too, but those conversations were more centered on potential injury concerns.
“The NCAA rules committee has looked at it and really up to now have not seen it become an injury, a player safety issue,” Shaw said. “So it really becomes a strategic part. Is that something strategically we want in the game? And so far there’s not been a big driver to try to put together a reason to eliminate it from our game.”
Over the past four seasons, the current rule has been enforced only six times, according to Shaw. Three times in 2022, and just once in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
AS USC RETURNS to Notre Dame this weekend for a top-20 matchup, the Bush Push helps define one of the sport’s most storied rivalries.
Carroll, now the Las Vegas Raiders coach, has very specific memories of that game in South Bend: the high grass, the green Notre Dame jerseys, the legends in the crowd.
“The stories I heard are that they sold out the night before the game at their rally that they had,” Carroll said. “And they brought Joe Montana back, and Rudy [Ruettiger] came back to speak to the crowd and a guy dressed up as Jesus showed up trying to bring home the power. … It was just an incredible setting for college football.”
The push that once went uncalled now defines the rule. Twenty years later, it’s still moving the game forward.
ESPN NFL reporter Ryan McFadden contributed to this story.
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska and men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg have agreed to a three-year contract extension after he guided the Cornhuskers to a school-record 15 wins in Big Ten Conference play.
The school announced the deal Monday, days before the league tournament begins with Nebraska as the No. 2 seed. Hoiberg is now under contract through the 2031-32 season. He previously signed a two-year extension in 2024.
“Fred has built this program step by step, and his leadership has Nebraska positioned to continue to compete at a high level in the Big Ten Conference and nationally,” athletic director Troy Dannen said in a statement. “Fred is one of the most respected coaches in the country by his peers, and his success has been recognized throughout the college basketball world.”
The Huskers, who have won 20-plus games in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history, enter the Big Ten Tournament with a 26-5 record. The team reached a program-best No. 5 national ranking in January.
“We have a long family history with the University of Nebraska, and the support we have received over the last seven years is truly remarkable,” Hoiberg said. “We are blessed with world-class facilities, but the people are what make Nebraska special. Our goal is to continue building a program that our fans can embrace and have pride in because it represents the values of Nebraska.”
Sports
Ex-Jets linebacker, charged with first-degree murder, allegedly consulted ChatGPT about cover-up
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Darron Lee, the New York Jets’ former first-round pick, allegedly consulted ChatGPT about how to “cover up” the murder of his ex-partner, who he allegedly stabbed to death last month.
Prosecutors said Lee, 31, allegedly tried to use AI to help carry out the brutal murder of Gabriella Carvalho Perpétuo, who was found dead in a home in Ooltewah, Tennessee, during a preliminary hearing on Monday, per WCTV.
Prosecutors read aloud the prompt that Lee allegedly sent to ChatGPT.
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Former New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee, 31, was arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 6, 2025 and charged with first degree murder and tampering with fabricating evidence. (Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com/Hamilton Country Sheriff’s Office)
“Don’t know what to do right now,” he allegedly wrote to the chat bots. “Fiancée did her crazy thing again and now she’s messed up, I wake up and she has two swollen eyes (I didn’t do anything, self inflicted) she stabbed herself, slit her eye? Idk but she isn’t waking up or responding, what do I do?”
The chat bot responded, saying, “Got it. Here’s exactly what [redacted] is the safest way to handle it without framing it as “police trouble,” according to WDEF.
JUDGE ORDERS EX-NFL PLAYER DARRON LEE HELD WITHOUT BOND AS PROSECUTORS WEIGH DEATH PENALTY
Lee continued the conversation with ChatGPT, asking if someone who has slipped and fell could suffer “puncture wounds.”
“Yeah – it can happen**, but there’s [redacted] to make,” the bot responded. “Can a slip-and-fall cause puncture wounds? Yes, but usually only under specific conditions?”
District Attorney Coty Wamp said to the court that Lee was using ChatGPT as a “legal adviser,” having “dozens of conversations” over a two-day span where he detailed what he allegedly did.
Darron Lee (50) of the Kansas City Chiefs walks off the field before a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on Nov. 10, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
“He asks how to cover it up. He asks what to say to 911,” Wamp added.
Judges ordered Lee be held without bond last month, as he faces a first-degree murder charge in this case. He also faces a charge of tampering with or fabricating evidence.
Wamp made it clear last month that there was no final decision concerning the pursuit of the death penalty, but he did cite factors that could result in the case becoming eligible for capital punishment.
“Mr. Lee was in a home with a female (who) was, for lack of a better term, beaten to death,” Wamp said in court last month, arguing for the judge to withhold bond. “And the explanation that he gave doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Det. Brian Lockhart detailed the home they found Perpétuo in.
“A lot of stuff in the living room. The deceased was in the floor lying on her back. There was blood going up the staircase. On the hand railing there was blood. On the walls, there was blood. On the floor in the living room there was blood. On the floor in the hallway and the stairs.”
The detective added that he was present during the autopsy, which found the potential cause of death was blunt force trauma homicide.
Darron Lee (50) of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on from the bench during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sept. 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
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Authorities carrying out a search warrant found multiple types of trauma to the woman’s body, including a stab wound to her abdomen, an apparent human bite mark on her shoulder, a large bruise on her head, black eyes with heavy swelling and dried blood on her face and neck, according to the affidavit.
Lee was taken in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Jets, who played three seasons at linebacker following his time at Ohio State. He would later play with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
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- PSL 11 scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3.
- Gaddafi Stadium will host most number of matches.
- PCB allots reserve day for the PSL final on May 4.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday unveiled the complete fixtures for Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, scheduled from March 26 to May 3.
The 11th edition of the tournament league will see eight teams, including two new entrants, Pindiz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen, playing a total of 44 matches in the 39-day event.
The tournament will commence with defending champions Lahore Qalandars taking on Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen at their home ground on March 26.
As per the schedule, each team will play a total of 10 matches, with the top four qualifying for the playoffs, comprising Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, followed by the final, scheduled to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on May 3.
Furthermore, the PCB has also allotted a reserve day for the final on May 4.
The PSL 11 will also feature six double-headers, out of which three will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium.
The landmark 11th edition will be played across six venues in Pakistan, with Faisalabad and Peshawar to host PSL matches for the first time, joining Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Rawalpindi.
Among the six venues, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host the most number of matches (15), followed by Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium with 11, while Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium will host seven.
The iconic National Bank Stadium in Karachi will host six matches, while four matches will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Peshawar’s Imran Khan Cricket Stadium to host one match – a day fixture between home side Peshawar Zalmi and Pindiz on March 28.
PSL 11 match schedule
March 27 – Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
March 28 – Peshawar Zalmi vs Rawalpindi Pindiz at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar
March 28 – Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
March 29 – Quetta Gladiators vs Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
March 29 – Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
March 31 – Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 1 – Multan Sultans vs Hyderabad Kingsmen at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
April 2 – Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 2 – Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Karachi Kings at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 3 – Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
April 4 – Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Islamabad United at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 5 – Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
April 6 – Multan Sultans vs Rawalpindi Pindiz at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
April 8 – Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Peshawar Zalmi at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
April 9 – Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
April 9 – Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
April 10 – Quetta Gladiators vs Rawalpindi Pindiz at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
April 11 – Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
April 11 – Karachi Kings vs Hyderabad Kingsmen at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
April 12 – Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Islamabad United at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
April 13 – Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
April 15 – Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
April 16 – Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Rawalpindi Pindiz at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
April 16 – Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
April 17 – Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
April 18 – Lahore Qalandars vs Rawalpindi Pindiz at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
April 19 – Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
April 19 – Quetta Gladiators vs Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
April 21 – Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
April 21 – Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Multan Sultans at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 22 – Karachi Kings vs Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
April 22 – Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 23 – Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Islamabad United at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 23 – Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
April 24 – Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 25 – Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
April 25 – Lahore Qalandars vs Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
April 26 – Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Peshawar Zalmi at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 26 – Islamabad United vs Multan Sultans at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 28 – Qualifier at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
April 29 – Eliminator 1 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
May 1 – Eliminator 2 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
May 3 – Final at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
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