Leinart Rejects USC Requests to Unretire No. 11 Jersey

Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart has firmly rejected repeated requests from university officials to unretire his iconic No. 11 jersey, emphasizing his commitment to preserving the number's legacy amid the evolving landscape of college football recruiting.

Leinart, who led the Trojans to back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004, revealed the approaches during a recent episode of his "Throwbacks" podcast. He stated that USC representatives have asked him multiple times to allow a five-star prospect to wear the number, but he has consistently declined. "There's been multiple times where people at USC have asked me if I would unretire my jersey for some five-star prospect," Leinart said. "And do you know what I told those guys straight up? I said, Absolutely not. I am never going to unretire my jersey for some random dude who, by the way, now could wear No. 11 and transfer after a year."

The decision underscores Leinart's concerns about player mobility in the era of name, image and likeness deals and the transfer portal, where recruits can leave programs quickly after arriving. He made clear that the number, retired shortly after his 2005 graduation, holds deep...