USC’s Week 9 win over Ohio State had a little bit of everything from the Trojans’ freshman class, and Trent Mosley was right in the middle of it.
Mosley finished with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown, plus 44 punt return yards, while Mark Bowman added three receptions for 79 yards. After practice on Nov. 2, Mosley talked about Bowman’s massive highlight and the way USC is handling its second bye week.
Bowman’s 70-yard play was the kind of snap that sticks with you, even after Mosley got the party started with his own 69-yard touchdown early in the game.
“He did jump over two guys, which is pretty impressive,” Mosley said about Bowman’s big play. “But after that, he had to truck a dude. So, that was pretty impressive.”
Mosley didn’t stop there. He gave Bowman a full endorsement as a tight end who can do just about everything.
“I mean, he's just the best. He could play all aspects of the game, you know.
He dominates. He runs routes like a receiver, catches like a receiver and then he blocks like a lineman," Mosley added.
"He's got everything. That's everything you want in a tight end.
So, we're lucky to have him.”
The two freshmen have also built a strong relationship away from the field.
“He's a great guy. We play games.
We play Fortnite a lot,” Mosley said about his off-field relationship with Bowman. “He's not very good, but he's getting better.
Play ping pong [too], but you know, it's great.”
Their Week 9 outing also marked the first time the pair had been on the field together for Big Ten play. Both had missed time earlier in the season - Mosley was out from Week 3 to Week 5 with a knee issue, while Bowman was inactive through Week 5 to Week 7 with a hamstring injury.
“It was just great to be out there with him. It feels like it's been a while. I'm glad to be alongside him, playing with him,” Mosley said about playing his first Big Ten game with Bowman on the field.
USC’s freshmen have continued to show up in other spots, too. Kannon Smith got the start at left guard in Week 9, another sign of the 2026 class making its presence felt.
“Yeah, huge pride. All of us, we're working, or since spring, [have]been working to be ready for opportunity,” Mosley said about the 2026 recruits.
“[Smith] was ready when the time came. So, I'm glad he got his chance and proud of him to get out there, do his thing.”
Mosley also said his own focus is on tightening up every part of his game, with blocking standing out as a key area.
“For me personally, I would say my blocking is a big point. You know, being more physical.
I would say in general, get better every week. You know, just all points of our game getting sharper.”
His punt return work has been part of that impact, too. The 44-yard return against Ohio State was his second-longest of the season, behind an 86-yard return in Week 2 against Louisiana. Through six games, Mosley has eight returns for 212 yards and a touchdown.
As USC heads into the bye, Mosley said the approach stays the same: keep the pace up, even without a game on the schedule.
“I just say continue attacking the week as you would a game week. This is not a bye week for us; this is a standard week,” Mosley said about the Trojans’ mentality heading into their second bye week. “Uphold the standard and go out there and attack every day.”
He said the break has to be handled on both sides of the equation, physically and mentally.
“It's both. You have to definitely balance it,” Mosley said about the physical and mental aspects of the bye week.
“On the physical side, like I said, we attack it. While that, we recover as much as we do attack it.
Also gives you time to rest your brain and take a little break.”
Asked whether Lincoln Riley had adjusted the team’s approach during this bye, Mosley said the Trojans are sticking with what they know.
“We're just going to continue to be ourselves and do what we do and focus on ourselves,” Mosley said when asked if Lincoln Riley had changed the team’s approach to the bye this time around.
He also made clear that the season still feels wide open from the locker room’s point of view.
“It's been great. We control our destiny and where we want to go,” Mosley said about the team’s open dialogue. “So it's up to us, and we're going out there attacking every day.”
Mosley summed up his own mindset simply: keep earning trust, keep helping the team, and keep sharpening the details.
“I just think the opportunities to show my ability and help in any way I can is something that coaches will look at and help the team.”
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