Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.
Today, we take a look at USC All-American defensive lineman Shaun Cody.
Career highlights: Cody was one of the first massive recruits of the Pete Carroll era at USC. Famously, Cody and his father were set on him going to Notre Dame, but Carroll and defensive line coach Ed Orgeron were able to change their mind and convince Cody to come to USC.
The move paid off for both sides, as Cody became a standout on Carroll’s early USC teams. Cody won two national championships with the Trojans, serving as a captain of USC’s 2004 title team as a senior. That year, he was named a first-team All-American after recording 44 tackles and nine sacks.
After USC: Cody was selected in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. He would go on to play eight seasons in the league, four with Detroit and four with the Houston Texas. He recorded double-digit tackles in all eight of his NFL seasons, including a career-high 38 with Houston in 2010.
Cody currently serves as an analyst on the radio broadcast of USC football games. He is also a co-host of USC’s official “Trojans Live” show, which airs weekly during football season (with some episodes during the spring as well).
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans DL Shaun Cody
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire | USA TODAY Network
