​Our countdown to kickoff series has spotlighted notable USC players who wore each number from zero through 99. But how do those players rank among the all-time greats in college football history? In a recent ESPN feature, the college football writers named the sport’s greatest player to wear every number, and for the number 3 they chose USC Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer.
ESPN described Palmer as perhaps the most influential figure in reviving USC’s tradition of excellence in the early 2000s. He began his college career under the coaching of Paul Hackett, a program that had fallen somewhat adrift, but the arrival of head coach Pete Carroll in 2001 and 2002 marked a renaissance for the Trojans. In 2002, Palmer shattered school records by completing 309 passes for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns, guiding USC to an 11-win season—the program’s first since 1979–80 era—and capturing the Heisman Trophy. Palmer’s performance helped establish USC as a premier quarterback factory (QBU) for years to come, ultimately setting the stage for a pipeline of elite signal-callers and shaping the program’s national prominence.
Despite entering USC with high expectations as a recruit, Palmer’s first four seasons were plagued by injuries and inconsistency. It wasn’t until his redshirt senior year in 2002 that he truly broke out. Working under Carroll and offensive coordinator Norm Chow, Palmer rewrote USC and Pac-10 passing records, throwing for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns. He steered the Trojans to an 11-2 record and an Orange Bowl victory over Iowa, becoming USC’s fifth Heisman winner and the first Trojan quarterback to win the award.
Palmer’s impact extends beyond his personal accolades. He is widely credited with launching a celebrated era of USC quarterbacks. Before his arrival, USC was renowned primarily for its running backs and had not yet established a true star at quarterback. After Palmer, the program produced a succession of standout quarterbacks, including Matt Leinart, John David Booty, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley, Cody Kessler, Sam Darnold, and more recently Caleb Williams, reinforcing USC’s reputation as a cradle for elite passers.
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