 He was named "2004 North Jersey Player of the Year" by "The Record", and played in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl alongside future USC teammates Patrick Turner, Rey Maualuga, and Mark Sanchez.Cushing was recruited by top colleges, including Notre Dame, Georgia, and Penn State before eventually committing to the University of Southern California.Cushing attended the University of Southern California and played for the USC Trojans football team from 2005 to 2008 under head coach Pete Carroll.