The 1956 USC Trojans football team represented the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

(USC) in the

1956 NCAA University Division football season The 1956 NCAA University Division football season saw the University of Oklahoma Sooners finish a third consecutive season unbeaten and untied to again win the national championship. The 1956 season saw the NCAA split member schools into two divi ...

. In their sixth and final year under head coach

Jess Hill Jesse Terrill Hill (January 20, 1907 – August 31, 1993) was an American athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator who was best known for his tenure as a coach and athletic director at the University of Southern California (USC). His c ...

, the Trojans compiled an 8–2 record (5–2 against conference opponents), finished in a tie for second place in the Pacific Coast Conference, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 218 to 126. The team was ranked #15 in the final

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Coaches Poll The Coaches Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football, Division I college basketball, and Division I college baseball teams. The football version of the poll has been known officiall ...

and #18 in the final

AP Poll The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadca ...

. Total attendance for all 10 games was 469,762. Frank Hall led the team in passing with 10 of 23 passes completed for 196 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. C. R. Roberts led the team in rushing with 120 carries for 775 yards and five touchdowns. Tony Ortega was the leading receiver with seven catches for 223 yards and one touchdown.

Ernie Zampese Ernie Zampese (March 12, 1936 – August 29, 2022) was an American professional American football, football coach in the National Football League (NFL). Playing for Santa Barbara High School, he was selected as the California Interscholastic Fed ...

rushed for 500 yards and passed for 166 yards. Two Trojans received first-team honors from the

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or the

(UP) on the 1956 All-Pacific Coast Conference football team: backs C. R. Roberts (AP-1; UP-1 ullback and Jon Arnett, USC (UP-1 alfback.

Schedule

Game summaries

At Texas

*C.R. Roberts 12 rushes, 251 yards

Roster

The following players were members of the 1956 USC football team. * Fabian Abram, tackle, 6'3", 215 pounds, Redondo Beach, California * Jon Arnett, senior HB (#26) * George Belotti, tackle, 6'3", 253 pounds, Oxnard, California * Ron Fletcher, tackle, 6'3", 215 pounds, Los Angeles * Walt Gurasich, guard, 6'1", 219 pounds, Sherman Oaks, California * Frank Hall, quarterback, 6'0", 175 pounds, San Francisco, California * Mike Henry, tackle, 6'2", 212 pounds, Los Angeles * Don Hickman, halfback, 5'10", 170 pounds, Monterey Park, California * Hillard Hill, end, 6'1", 188 pounds, Pasadena, California * Ells Kissinger, quarterback, 5'10, 183 pounds, York, Pennsylvania * Ben Lardizabal, guard, 5'11", 210 pounds, Los Angeles * Chuck Leimbach, end, 6'4", 193 pounds, Los Angeles * C. R. Roberts, fullback, 6'1", 206 pounds, Oceanside, California * Bob Rosendahl, end, 6'1", 178 pounds, Lynwood, California * Karl Rubke, center, 6'4", 225 pounds, Lynwood, California * Laird Willott, guard, 6'0", 205 pounds, Glendale, California *

, halfback, 5'9", 166 pounds, Santa Barbara, California

Coaching staff

* Head coach: Jess Hill * Assistant coaches: Nick Pappas (back coach),

Mel Hein Melvin Jack Hein (August 22, 1909 – January 31, 1992), sometimes known as "Old Indestructible", was an American football player and coach. In the era of one-platoon football, he played as a center (then a position on both offense and defense) ...

(line coach),

George Ceithaml George Frank Ceithaml ( ; February 10, 1921 – May 24, 2012) was an American football quarterback and coach. He was the starting quarterback for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan football teams in 1941 and 1942. Crisler later called C ...

(back coach), Bill Fisk (end coach), Joe Margucci (JV coach), Don Clark (line coach), Bob Titchenal (freshman) * Senior football manager: Mike O'Dell1957 "El Rodeo", page 251.

References

{{USC Trojans football navbox USC USC Trojans football seasons

USC Trojans football The USC Trojans football program represents University of Southern California in the sport of American football. The Trojans compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Pac-12 ...