Troy Polamalu’s made a big jump on his NFL Pro football career when he started playing college football at the University of Southern California (USC). This is why the Troy Polamalu USC Jerseys are recognized at a college or NFL game. His results just after being a 3 year starter for the USC Trojans were outstanding:
Number of Tackles: 278
Number of Tackles for a loss: 29
6 Interceptions
(3 returned for Touchdowns)
Deflections: 13
Fumble Recoveries: 2
Blocked Punts: 4
Troy Polamalu became the first 2 time All-American team pick his senior year in 2002 for the USC Trojans. From the beginning, Troy was a natural safety helping his defensive make the big plays. While Polamalu did not like individual rewards, he accepted them all humbly. He is probably one of the most spirited passionate team player the game will ever know.
In addition to his college football career at USC, he was a social sciences/history major. However, Troy was not the first member of his family to go to USC. There is a family history of the Polmalu family at USC with the roots starting with his uncle who played fullback and is now the Trojan’s running back coach.
All around, Troy Polamalu is a great football player and great person to be around with. Check out what the others have to say about Troy Polamalu:
USC head coach Pete Carroll: “He’s as good a safety as I’ve ever coached. He’s a brilliant football player. He’s just as effective as those NFL guys I coached. He is creative, fast, tough and instinctive. He has a great heart, which all great players have. He adapts to everything that we can throw out there. He makes all the adjustments, all the checks, all the calls. He helps other people play well. He can do anything we ask: blitz, cover deep, play man-to-man, and he always does a little bit extra.”
USC tailback Malaefou MacKenzie: “He’s going to be one of the greats before he leaves USC.”
Former Utah offensive guard Ed Ta’amu: “When we watched film, everywhere we looked he was in the picture.”
UCLA head coach Bob Toledo: “He’s a great football player. He’s all over the field. He makes plays. You’d better account for him because he’s going to be around the football all the time.”
Arizona head coach John Mackovic: “A lot of safeties are strong against the run but not always effective in pass defense. He’s physical, arrives quickly and reads the play very well.”
USC assistant coach Kennedy Pola, his uncle: “He’s a small-town boy and he respects his peers and his teammates. That comes from the family, environment and community that he was raised in.”
Ken Peters, Associated Press: “Sometimes it seems there’s a whole group of Trojans wearing No. 43, blocking punts, returning interceptions for touchdowns, forcing fumbles, smacking punt returners to the ground. Actually, there’s only one-Troy Polamalu, playing ‘Fa’a Samoan’ style. That roughly translates, he says, to being a gentleman everywhere but on the football field.”
Source: http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/polamalu_troy00.html