No. 12 USC heads into its Big Ten opener at Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 19, already dealing with a long injury list, and the biggest blow is the loss of freshman receiver Trent Mosley.
Mosley will be out for quite some time after hurting his knee in last Saturday’s week 2 win over Louisiana. The injury came after he hauled in a 21-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Trainers checked on him on the sideline, and he never returned. He was in good spirits after the game, signing autographs and taking photos with fans, and he also spoke with the media.
But the situation clearly changed once the adrenaline faded.
USC still has numbers at receiver, but this group is about to be tested. Kayden Dixon-Wyatt has emerged as a freshman standout of his own, starting all three games and sitting tied for first on the team in catches while ranking second in receiving yards. Tron Baker, who opened the season as the starter opposite Dixon-Wyatt, and Corey Simms, who has started the last two games, have also contributed early.
Zacharyus Williams is next in line behind Mosley. The third-year wideout has appeared in 18 career games and is much more settled in the offense now after an injury cost him two and a half months last season.
The names to watch most closely are Terrell Anderson and Tanook Hines. Anderson arrived through the portal from NC State and brings two years of Power Four experience.
Hines started last season and finished third on the team in receptions and receiving yards as a true freshman. Both were brought back gradually from injuries, but they are fully available now and will need to take on bigger roles.
Freshman Boobie Feaster is also part of the new rotation.
On the defensive side, sophomore lineman Jahkeem Stewart remains out even though he went through pregame warmups last week and Riley said he was a full-time participant in practice this week. Stewart reinjured the same foot that had limited him in 2025, and the concern level is now higher with his debut still on hold and the schedule about to get tougher next week.
Up front, Jide Abasiri has been a force in the middle and is drawing NFL attention. Alex VanSumeren, another impact transfer, is working next to him, though his value doesn’t show up much in the stat sheet. USC still needs more consistent production behind those two to strengthen the room, especially with Stewart’s situation unresolved.
Tight end Nela Tupou will miss a second straight game. Tucker Ashcraft made his USC debut last week and is now the No. 2 option at the position behind freshman standout Mark Bowman. Carson Tabaracci and Walter Matthews have also been part of the tight end mix.
The secondary is thin too. Safeties Dee Reddick and Madden Riordan are both out, leaving USC light behind starters Christian Pierce and Prophet Brown. Marquis Gallegos returned last week after recovering from injury, but he has limited defensive experience.
At linebacker, Jadyn Walker is questionable after leaving last week’s game. If he can’t play, Ta’Mere Robinson and freshman Talanoa Ili would be the reserve options behind starters Desman Stephens and Devin Bryant.
Freshman running back Deshonne Redeaux is also questionable after sitting out last week. King Miller has moved ahead of Waymond Jordan as the starting back. Riley Wormley and freshman Shahn Alston both saw action before Jordan against Louisiana.
Jordan was still USC’s second-leading rusher, but he’s in the doghouse a little bit after another fumble against Fresno State in week 1 and some early-season struggles. How the running back rotation unfolds against Rutgers remains to be seen.
In Other News...
USC Might Be Closing In On Another Major Local Defensive Win
USC has spent plenty of time trying to strengthen its defensive future in Southern California, and the next local name to watch is already drawing serious attention. Rivals national recruiting analysts Adam Gorney and Greg Biggins the Trojans the leading favorite to land four-star safety Ace Leutele from Mater Dei in the 2028 class, a notable position for a program that has made keeping elite local talent home a priority.
Leutele stands out not just because of where he plays, but because of how early he has risen at one of the regions most demanding programs. He is a rare freshman starter at Mater Dei and is regarded as a versatile defensive piece, the kind of player USC wants to keep stacking into its next recruiting cycle. The Trojans are also pursuing other safety targets as they look to build a stronger 2028 group after a smaller 2027 class, so this is only part of a broader push on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A New Debate Over Which Trojans Deserve Bigger Roles
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Waymond Jordan and Kam Crawford sit on the other side of that ledger, which makes the next stretch worth watching for a team trying to sharpen its rotation before the schedule gets more demanding. For USC, this is the kind of internal debate that can quietly shape the rest of a season, because bigger roles do not always go to the most obvious candidates, and the opening month has already created a few decisions worth tracking. [Read more 🡒]
USC Needs A Freshman Receiver To Step Up At Rutgers
Trent Mosleys injury takes one of USCs most intriguing young receivers out of the mix for the trip to Rutgers, and it puts a little more pressure on the Trojans depth at a position that has already had to shuffle this season. Mosley had been part of the freshman group giving USC another layer of speed and options, so his absence leaves a noticeable gap in an offense that has leaned on finding the right combination of playmakers around its returning core.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is the freshman most likely to see the biggest jump in opportunity, after showing enough productivity in earlier games to make this a meaningful next step. USC also has Tanook Hines and Terrell Anderson available if it wants to spread the load, but the real question now is how quickly the Trojans can turn that extra receiver work into reliable production on the road. [Read more 🡒]