USC football: Ex-Trojan Scoggins, 49, succumbs to ALS
January 13th, 2009, 4:48 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Michael Lev, staff writer

Eric Scoggins, 49, a member of USC’s 1978 national championship football team, died on Friday in Tracy, Calif., of amytrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease).

A funeral service for Scoggins will be held at noon this Saturday at Inglewood Park Cemetary (720 E. Florence Ave., Inglewood). A repass will follow immediately at The Proud Bird (11022 Aviation Blvd., Los Angeles).

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to “Eric’s Vision,” which he founded after being diagnosed with ALS in January 2007. “Eric’s Vision” provides funds to the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s “Augie’s Quest” research initiative dedicated to finding a cure for ALS. He helped raise more than $150,000 for the cause.

Scoggins was a four-year (1977-80) letterman as an outside linebacker at USC, recording 164 career tackles.

He was a part-time starter as a senior in 1980, when he made the All-Pac-10 honorable-mention team. He also posted seven starts earlier in his career. As a 1978 sophomore, he was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week and ABC’s Defensive Player of the Game after making 11 tackles in USC’s road victory at Alabama that propelled the Trojans to the national title.

He played in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in 1982, then in the USFL with the Los Angeles Express and Houston Gamblers.

He prepped at Inglewood (Calif.) High, where he made the All-CIF 3-A first team as a senior.

Despite Scoggins’ death, the inaugural “Champions for Hope” gala will go on as previously planned on March 14 at USC’s Town and Gown. The event, celebrating the 30th anniversary of USC’s 1978 national championship team with the goal of raising funds for “Eric’s Vision,” was conceived by Scoggins’ teammates and friends, including expected attendees Ronnie Lott, Anthony Munoz, Brad Budde, Charles White, John Robinson and Paul McDonald.

Scoggins is survived by his wife, Shonta, his 3 sons (Eric Jr., Evan and Eran), and a daughter, Tyler.