The Flag Runners are currently designated under the USC Spirit Leaders, a 115-year-old group that rallies students at USC athletic events. Originally, the Spirit Leaders ran the flags—but that changed in 2021 when a new group of students took on the tradition in the hope of creating something bigger for the university.
“Flag runners started under the radar but as me and our old alumni started to do it — it started to really gain popularity,” Flag Runners coordinator Zachary Gee said. “We have shirts in the bookstores, fan interactions and recognition at away games. Because of this, me and our OG Flag Runners that have also graduated last year feel like we can create something bigger with this group… and help create a bigger culture in the Coliseum during home games.”
Being a Flag Runner is not just about waving a flag. It requires mental and physical toughness to carry the weight of the game’s spirit and the stamina to run with the flags. There are small flags and a big one you see during runout, the lifting of which usually takes a whole summer of strength training to prepare for. These specific runners need to be able to keep the flag up, maintain a tight core, and push a heavy flag at least 60 yards down the field at The Coliseum.
A three week all-encompassing training camp and preliminary practices occur before the school year starts. These trainings aim to ensure that the timing of the flags is accurate and strength is being built within each runner.
“You’ve seen on our social media the characters we’ve become,” Gee said. “As long as you’re able to run with those heavy flags and have a great personality—I think that’s what makes a great flag runner.”
If USC football constantly scores, the flags are being run the entire game. This is a significant problem for a Flag Runner. They must continuously be on and ready to pump up the crowd. The amount of Trojan Spirit cancels out the physical demand.
“From a student perspective, it was really exciting to see Flag Runners become a bigger part of the game day experience,” runner Stephen Serrano said. “You see them now at pregame runout and also at every single touchdown, field goal or point we make. It really adds to the energy and excitement and it really hypes up some of the student section.”
The Flag Runners aim to continue the celebration that occurs after USC football scores more points, which is a staple of the game-day experience. They are located close to the student section and aim to constantly excite the student section to create a hostile environment for the opposing team and great morale for the USC football team.
“When you see the USC Flag Runners, we hope people see our growth as students and as people passionate about being a part of the Trojan Family,” Serrano said.