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 look at a player who sadly recently passed away: former USC All-American tight end Charles Young.
Position: Tight end
Years played at USC: 1970-1972
Career highlights: Durinng his time in Cardinal and Gold, Young caught 68 passes for 1,090 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a senior in 1972, he earned Unanimous All-American honors—becoming USC’s first ever All-American at the position—while helping lead the Trojans to their seventh National championship.
Young was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004. In 2015, he was named to the Pac-12 All-Century Team.
After USC: The Philadelphia Eagles selected Young with the sixth overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft. He went on to play 13 years in the league with the Eagles, Los Angeles Rams San Francisco 49ers, and Cincinnati Bengals. Young made two Pro Bowls during his career, and in the 1981 season, won Super Bowl XVI with San Francisco.
Young’s three daughters would later go on to compete in track and field for USC. He passed away just a few weeks ago at the age of 75.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans tight end Charles Young
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
