A walk‑on who turned scholarship into a defensive mainstay
Tony Burnett first arrived on campus in 2009 as a track and field walk‑on, but his athletic talent quickly earned him a spot on the football team the following year. By 2011 he had secured a scholarship and, as a redshirt senior in 2012, was recognized with All‑Pac‑12 honorable‑mention honors for his play at cornerback.
After college, Burnett chased an NFL dream, signing with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He made the roster but was released before the regular season began, a setback that sent him north to the Canadian Football League, where he spent three productive seasons before stepping away from professional play.
A milestone date on the horizon
The excitement surrounding Burnett’s story now dovetails with the Trojans’ official 2026 season opener. On August 29, USC will host San Jose State in a game that promises to showcase not only the team’s new talent but also the depth of its recent history.
For the university, the matchup is more than a season‑opening fixture; it is a narrative moment that ties together past achievements and future ambitions. Burnett’s journey — from a modest walk‑on to a scholarship‑earning All‑Pac‑12 mention, then to professional leagues abroad — illustrates the pathways that USC athletes have taken over the years.
As the Trojans gear up for the upcoming campaign, alumni like Burnett serve as a reminder of the program’s broader impact, extending beyond the campus in Los Angeles to the fields of San Diego and the stadiums of Canada. His story adds a human dimension to the technical preparations already underway at the university’s football complex.