“I think the guys who have seen me on the practice field know that I haven’t lost a step,” he added. “I’m still fast, I’m still explosive. It didn’t work out as much here as I would’ve liked but I got another year of experience under my belt. I don’t think any stop is just a lost cause. I feel like everything’s part of your destiny and you are where you are for a reason.”

A Buffalo News story earlier this season quoted several teammates who said they were simply in awe of Bush’s presence, regardless of his production. One former USC player said sometimes he’s too nervous to even talk to Bush. (The story was lost in our website transition but can be viewed in the e-edition of our Oct. 7 paper on Page C1. Sorry.)

Bush laughed when asked about those comments.

“Yeah, that was a little weird to read,” he said. “For one, I don’t want to believe that I’m one of the older guys. And I don’t really feel old. People are quick to tag the ‘old’ tag to you obviously the longer you’re playing, especially as a running back, but I always believe it’s not what they call you, it’s what you answer to.