You’ve heard the story a thousand times before.
The Mannings, the Waltons, the Bonds – big names all sharing the common thread of athletes’ sons following their parents’ footsteps into sports greatness.
However, for senior Justin Hickman, the path he has taken to his current spot as one of the nation’s best defensive ends is anything but the usual tale.
As a child growing up, Hickman loved USC. He couldn’t help it. Both his parents were Trojans and his father, Donnie, played on the ’SC offensive line from 1974 to 1976 before heading to the NFL.
Hickman had every reason to be a Trojan. But when he was ready to pick a school, the USC charm had become a distant memory.
“By the time it was time for me to make a college decision, ... ’SC had worn off,” Hickman said. “When it came down to recruiting, I knew it was a business and I needed to make the best decision for me, and UCLA was the best place.”
After spending a year at Glendale Community College in Arizona, recording 10 sacks and rising to the No. 84 overall junior-college recruit, the potential of immediate playing time as a Bruin lured him to Westwood. The Bruins had four defensive ends graduating, and Hickman saw a huge opportunity to get on the field right away.
“The biggest thing for me was I wanted to play,” Hickman said. “I knew what my abilities could do, and I wanted to play. ... I knew that I would be able to come in and compete for a job, and that’s what I did.”
As a sophomore in 2004, Hickman started in eight games, recorded 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss. Last season, as a 12-game starter, “Hick” as he’s known to teammates, had a breakout year, tallying 5.5 sacks to lead the team.
But even after two seasons of rapid improvement, no one could have predicted the monster season he is having this year.
Hickman is currently second in the nation with 12.5 sacks and a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award given to the country’s best defensive end. Despite the national recognition, Hickman is quick to give credit to others for his success.
“Coach (Todd) Howard and coach (DeWayne) Walker are the best things that have happened to me,” he said. “They’ve shown me how to do some things that I feel I’ve had success with. And my teammates, because without their success, I can’t have success. Especially Brigham (Harwell) and Kevin (Brown) – we run our little stunts and I come through scot-free. It’s a group effort, and I’ve just been lucky.”
As a result, Hickman and fellow defensive end Bruce Davis have combined to form one of the premier, if not the best, tandems of D-ends in the country, with Davis third in the nation with 11.5 sacks.
“I knew there was going to be improvement (after last season),” Davis said. “But I didn’t know it was going to be like this. ... (Hickman) just stepped it way up this year. I didn’t really see it coming.”
With the No. 2 and No. 3 pass rushers lined up on the same team, Hickman and Davis have targets on their backs unlike in previous years when UCLA’s defense was at the bottom of the NCAA barrel.
“It’s been a challenge, but it’s a welcome challenge for both of us,” Davis said. “It’s a lot of fun knowing that the other team has to zero in on you. We know that if they double-team Hick, than I’ll come free, and if they double-team me, then he’s going to come free. We just have fun with each other out there. ... I feel like he’s the best pass rusher in the nation. You can’t leave him one-on-one.”
Hickman will be tested this Saturday, going up against an offensive line which has only given up 14 sacks on the year.
“As a playmaker, you have to show up,” Hickman said. “You have to show up any way you can. That’s what I try and do. You have to get to the quarterback; you have to make the tackles any way, no matter how many guys are in front of you.”
For Hickman, the game against the team he used to root for will have more of a personal meaning.
“You can’t come to UCLA and end your career without beating those guys,” Hickman said. “This means the world to me. It’s probably bigger than any other game I’ve played.”
And for Donnie Hickman, his loyalty to the Trojans will take a backseat this weekend, at least according to his son.
“He’s rooting for us,” Hickman said. “He’ll have the UCLA gear on, sitting on our side in blue, but deep down in his soul, he’ll probably be throwing up the ‘V’ and singing ‘Fight On.’”
The younger Hickman may have followed in his father’s footsteps through college football greatness, and probably to the NFL, but singing the Trojans’ fight song is one aspect he probably will never aspire to repeat.