USC's White declares for NFL draft

Southern California running back LenDale White declared himself eligible for the NFL draft on Wednesday, one day before backfield mate Reggie Bush is expected to announce he, too, will skip his senior season to turn pro.

White, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound junior, set a USC record by scoring 57 career touchdowns, including 26 this year to lead the nation.

He said it was difficult to leave a program that came within seconds of winning a third consecutive national championship last week.

"I wouldn't say that it was a slam dunk" to leave USC, he said. "It definitely was hard giving up that dream because I won a lot of football games there."

White had 541 carries for 3,159 yards in three seasons over which the Trojans were 37-2.

-- The Associated Press