Mark Bowman’s USC debut didn’t pop in the box score, but it still mattered.
The Trojans got plenty of freshman flashes in their opener, and some of them were impossible to miss. Trent Mosley fit that bill. Bowman’s first game was quieter by comparison, at least as a receiver, even though he entered the season with a lot of attention and earned the start at tight end.
He got involved right away, catching the first pass of the game and turning it into an 8-yard gain. After that, the ball didn’t come his way much. Bowman finished with 3 catches for 15 yards, a line that doesn’t exactly jump off the page.
But his value showed up in the parts of the game that don’t always get the spotlight. Bowman was a major factor in USC’s run game, helping open up space for teammates and doing the kind of work that can shape an offense. He was billed by some as the next Brock Bowers, but against the Spartans he looked more like George Kittle.
That showed up in his blocking. Bowman seemed to enjoy it, and the Trojans benefited from it. When one of your best players is clearing the way like that, it changes what the offense can do.
From the second play of the game, it was clear Bowman was going to be more than just another target in the passing attack. Across the full game, he leaned into the dirty work, and that kind of mentality stands out for a freshman. It also helps explain why the coaching staff can trust him.
The big receiving games should come later. For now, Bowman already showed he can help USC win in ways that go beyond the numbers.
In Other News...
USC Has A Freshman Turning Heads As Young Defenders Step Up
Trent Mosley wasted no time making his presence felt, and for USC that has been one of the brighter early developments of the season. The freshman receiver opened his college career with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown against San Jose State, then followed it up with another strong outing the next game, adding multiple touchdowns and drawing notice from teammates and coaches alike.
Mosleys emergence has helped soften some of the attention on a defense that has also been getting useful early contributions from young players. Nickel Kennedy Urlacher, Alex Graham and Jide Abasiri have each shown up in recent games, giving USC signs that some of its younger defenders are beginning to settle in and play meaningful snaps when the Trojans need them most. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Rout Put New Draft Attention On More Than One Trojan
USCs blowout of Fresno State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew more than attention from the scoreboard. NFL scouts from five franchises were in the building, turning a September game into another reminder that the Trojans are still a weekly stop on the pro personnel circuit. With former USC names already scattered across the league, the presence of those evaluators added a little extra weight to a rout that otherwise could have been just another easy win.
The most visible reasons were on the field. Quarterback Jayden Maiava continued to give scouts a look at how he handles an offense under little pressure, while defensive players Jide Abasiri and Kennedy Urlacher also stood out in the kind of game where evaluators are often looking for who keeps competing after the outcome is settled. For USC, the broader takeaway is familiar: when the Trojans play well, the NFL tends to show up, and not just for the obvious headliners. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshman Is Giving Lincoln Riley A New Receiver Problem
USCs 2-0 start has already included a welcome bonus for Lincoln Riley: a freshman receiver who looks ready for more than a depth-chart cameo. Trent Mosley has been one of the early bright spots for the Trojans, making his presence felt right away with key catches, yardage, and touchdowns that have helped him stand out in the opening weeks of the season.
For Riley, that kind of emergence creates the sort of good problem coaches like to have and opponents hate to solve. Mosleys production has quickly raised expectations for what he can mean in the offense moving forward, and it also adds another layer to a USC passing game that already had enough weapons to keep defenses busy. [Read more 🡒]