Bush could follow White into draft

LOS ANGELES - Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush will announce today whether he'll return to Southern California for his senior season or enter the NFL Draft.

He has kept a low profile since Southern Cal lost to Texas 41-38 for the national championship in the Rose Bowl game Jan. 4. Underclassmen have until Sunday to apply for the April 29-30 draft.

Bush is to make his announcement this morning on campus. He has been projected for months as the No. 1 overall pick, and it will be surprising if he returns to the Trojans.

After winning his Heisman in 2004, Southern Cal's Matt Leinart decided to return to school for his final year of eligibility although he almost surely would have been one of the top players in the draft.

But as a quarterback, Leinart was in a far different situation. Running backs are such a target, with even the best at risk every time they carry the ball. On average, standout running backs have far shorter professional careers than top quarterbacks.

If Bush does decide to return to school, he could join Ohio State running back Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners of the Heisman. Griffin won the award in 1974-75.

Bush's backfield teammate, LenDale White, announced in his hometown of Denver that he will skip his senior season to enter the draft. White leaves having scored a school-record 57 touchdowns in his career.

Bush rushed for 3,169 yards and White for 3,159, helping the Trojans go 37-2 the past three seasons. The two combined for 99 career touchdowns, breaking the NCAA record of 97 set by Army's Glenn Davis and Felix "Doc" Blanchard from 1943-46.

MANNING AWARD: Texas' Vince Young was named this season's winner of the Manning Award.

The award, given to the nation's best quarterback, is the only one that takes into consideration the candidate's bowl performance.

Along with Young, other finalists were Leinart, last year's winner of the inaugural award; Drew Olson of UCLA, Brady Quinn of Notre Dame and D.J. Shockley of Georgia.

VIRGINIA TECH: All-Atlantic Coast Conference linebacker Kai Parham is leaving Virginia early to enter the NFL Draft.

Parham was a three-year starter at inside linebacker for the Cavaliers, and this year led Virginia in tackles with 103, including nine sacks. In his three years, he made 272 tackles, including 33 behind the line of scrimmage.

BENGALS: Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer had surgery on knee ligaments torn during last weekend's playoff loss to Pittsburgh and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2006 season. The operation was Tuesday in Houston.

"This is a serious injury, but we are told the procedure went very well," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "We know Carson, and we know he will apply himself fully to his rehabilitation."

Palmer tore the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

LAWSUIT: A hearing to determine whether former Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill's lawsuit against the NCAA will be heard in Oktibbeha County has been delayed until Jan. 27.

Sherrill filed the $15 million lawsuit in December 2004 and accused the NCAA of conspiring to harm his reputation.