USC Football Greats Are Headed to the Trojans’ Athletic Hall

USC Football legend Marvin Powell, Jr, former offensive tackle,  headlines the 2027 class of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame.

Powell is receiving this honor posthumous honor fifty years after he played his last game for the Trojans.

Powell played for legendary coach John Mckay from 1973-1976. During his time at USC, Powell won the 1974 national championship defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl 37-17. 

Powell also played in the 1975 Rose Bowl and the 1976 Rose Bowl which was his final game as a Trojan.

While at USC Powell was a three time All Pac 8 player, and was a First team All-American in 1975 and 1976. Powell was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

When speaking about Powell, McKay once said:

“Powell has as much ability as our 1967 Outland Trophy Winner Ron Yary”. “He was devastating last season—to the point where you say, ‘No one can be that good.”

For context, Yary was the No.1 overall draft pick and is in the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 1977, The New York Jets made him the No.4 pick in the draft. Powell would play for the Jets from 1977-1985. In that time we would be voted to five Pro-Bowls and be named team MVP in 1979.

Powell earned All-Pro four times including three First Team All-Pro honors.

In 1982 Powell received the Seagrams Seven Crowns of Sports NFL Award as the NFL’s Offensive Lineman of the Year. 

Former USC defensive back Dennis Thurman is also being inducted by USC. Thurman was a dynamic two-way player from 1974-1977.

While at USC he earned  First Team All-American in 1976 and 1977. Thurman went to the Pro Bowl in 1981 while with the Dallas Cowboys.

Thurman returned to USC and served as the defensive backs coach under former head coach John Robinson from 1993-2000. In 2025 Thurman was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

The other members of the 2027 USC Athletic Hall of Fame Class are: 

Bill Bordley - Baseball

Anna Maria - Fernandez Tennis

Steve Furniss - Swimming 

Dwayne Jarret - Football

Balazs Kiss - Track and Field

Paul McDonald - Football

Pat Powers - Volleyball

Kaitlin Sedano - Swimming

Moriah Van Wolvelaere - Track and Field

Rhonda Winham - Basketball

Posthumous Inductees

Damon Bame - Football

Jack Gardener - Basketball

Janice York Romary - Fencing

USC will honor the inductees on November 21 during the Maryland Terrapins game.

This will be the last home game of the 2026 season and will also serve as senior night for the current USC football players.

USC will then host a banquet in April of 2027 to honor the inductees formally.