Mark Sanchez's eyeblack

Players write all sorts of things on their eyeblack. Reggie Bush famously wore "619" in honor of his hometown (it's San Diego's area code) and Rey Maualuga puts "Dad" under each eye. Last year, Joe McKnight wrote "I Need $$," echoing a sentiment shared by many of his fellow college students.

On Saturday night against the Buckeyes, many people noticed that USC quarterback Mark Sanchez wrote "Garenn Figueroa," the name of a 15-year-old-boy from Palmdale who has bone cancer. It's the second game in a row that Sanchez has honored Figueroa. According to Ben Malcolmson's blog on USCRipsIt.com, "Coach Carroll knows Figueroa’s story and made the recommendation to Sanchez to write the boy’s name."

-- Adam Rose
Photo: Harry How/Getty Images

Comments

[Hugo]

I was wondering about this!!

[Bobak]

Thanks for the explanation --I couldn't read the other eye black and thought he was just shouting out to Figueroa Street (for those not in the know, a major street bordering USC).

[Josh]

hi wondering if anybody knows how to write on the eye black like mark sanchez and reggie bush? i was thinking like silver sharpie writing on the glare strips? help?

[Marcos]

I'm the uncle of Garenn Figueroa, and the happiness that Mark Sanchez and Coach Carrol has given to my nephew and his whole family is beyond words. I will forever be a fan of USC football, and Mark Sanchez. FIGHT ON.

[Natasha]

Josh, yes it is a silver Sharpie that is used to write on the player's eye black strips.