If you ask any die-hard college football fan from the seventies about the "Notre Dame Killer," they won’t point to a defensive lineman or a legendary coach. They'll tell you about a 5-foot-9 dynamo named Anthony Davis.
Before the name Anthony Davis became synonymous with an NBA superstar in a Lakers jersey, it belonged to the most electric player in Los Angeles. Honestly, it’s hard to overstate how much he owned the city back then. He wasn't just a football player; he was a two-sport phenom who seemed to save his greatest magic for the biggest stages.
We’re talking about a guy who won five national championships in three years. No, that isn't a typo. He bagged two in football (1972, 1974) and three in baseball (1972, 1973, 1974). You’ve probably seen highlights of his legendary end-zone knee dance, but there’s so much more to the story of the Anthony Davis USC running back era than just a few celebrations.
The Day Anthony Davis Broke the Irish
Most people remember the 1974 USC vs. Notre Dame game as "The Comeback." It’s basically the gold standard for shifting momentum in sports history.
Imagine being down 24-0 against a Top-5 Notre Dame team. The Coliseum was stunned. Then, with 10 seconds left in the first half, Davis caught a short lateral from Pat Haden and dove in. 24-6. It felt like a consolation prize.
But then the second half started.
Davis took the opening kickoff 102 yards to the house. The stadium literally shook. By the time the dust settled, USC had scored 55 unanswered points in under 17 minutes of game time. Davis finished with four touchdowns that day.
What’s wild is that he had already done this to them before. Back in 1972, he dropped six touchdowns on the Irish in a single game. Six. Two of those were kickoff returns. Over his three years at USC, he scored 11 touchdowns against Notre Dame alone. It’s no wonder they still talk about him in South Bend with a mix of respect and genuine PTSD.
Why he was more than a stat line
- Kickoff Specialist: He held the NCAA record for career kickoff return touchdowns (six) for decades.
- Durability: Despite his smaller frame, he carried the ball 784 times for 3,772 yards.
- Clutch Gene: He wasn't a stat-padder against weak teams; he was at his best in the Rose Bowl and against rivals.
The Heisman Snub and the Pro Years
Kinda strange to think about now, but Davis never won the Heisman Trophy. In 1974, he was the heavy favorite but finished second to Archie Griffin.
The kicker? Back then, Heisman ballots were due before the regular season ended. If the voters had waited until after he dismantled Notre Dame, the trophy almost certainly would have landed in Los Angeles. Davis has often said in interviews that being called the "Notre Dame Killer" means more to him than any bronze statue ever could.
His pro career was a bit of a odyssey. He didn't take the traditional NFL route immediately. Instead, he signed a then-massive $1 million contract with the Southern California Sun of the World Football League (WFL).
He eventually made his way to the NFL, playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Oilers, and Los Angeles Rams. But the magic was different. A series of leg injuries, including breaking his leg twice in the same spot in 1978, sapped that elite explosiveness. By the time he had a short stint in the USFL in 1983, the era of "A.D." was largely in the rearview mirror.
Life After the End Zone
Transitioning away from the spotlight isn't easy for most legends. Davis tried his hand at acting—you might spot him in small roles in Against All Odds or even The Last Boy Scout. He also built a successful career in real estate development.
But lately, his story has taken a more serious turn.
Davis has been open about his struggles with CTE and brain trauma from his playing days. He was featured in the 2020 documentary Quiet Explosions: Healing the Brain, which looks at how former athletes deal with the long-term impact of repetitive hits. It’s a sobering reminder that those highlight-reel runs came with a steep physical price.
Why the Anthony Davis USC running back Legacy Endures
Even today, when you walk around the USC campus or visit the Coliseum, the "28" jersey still holds weight. He wasn't just a fast guy; he was a symbol of an era where USC was the undisputed king of college athletics.
📖 Related: Why a Wrist Brace for Golf is Probably the Best $25 You’ll Spend on Your Swing
Think about it: he is still the only player in USC history to start for a national champion football team and a national champion baseball team in the same school year. That kind of versatility is virtually extinct in modern sports.
If you want to truly understand the impact he had, don't just look at the rushing yards. Look at the way he changed games with a single touch. Whether it was a 97-yard return or a four-yard plunge followed by that signature knee-dance, Anthony Davis was the heartbeat of Trojan football.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of this era or honor the legacy of the Anthony Davis USC running back years, here is where to start:
- Watch the 1974 USC-Notre Dame highlights: It is widely available on YouTube and remains the most concise evidence of his "catalyst" ability.
- Visit the College Football Hall of Fame: Davis was inducted in 2005. His display offers a great look at the 1970s gear and the "Pac-8" era.
- Check out "Quiet Explosions": For those interested in the health side of the sport, this documentary provides a modern perspective on Davis's life today and his advocacy for brain health.
- Follow USC Heritage accounts: The university frequently shares archival footage of Davis, especially during the week of the Notre Dame game.