USC got a useful one on the field Tuesday, and it came at just the right time. With the season opener against San Jose State roughly 10 days away, fall camp is clearly tightening into game-week mode, and practice No. 16 gave a final look at the Trojans before coverage shifts to press-conference only.
The most encouraging development was the return of Mark Bowman and Breck Kolojay to pads after each missed a couple of practices. Lincoln Riley had already framed those absences as normal camp bumps and bruises, outside of the longer-term situation with Killian O’Connor, so there wasn’t any major alarm attached to either player.
Still, getting a true freshman like Bowman back on the field matters. Every rep is a big deal for freshmen, and USC wants as many of those reps banked as possible before the opener.
Bowman, who is currently my projected starting tight end, continues to look like one of the more intriguing young pieces in camp. The rotation appears to be Bowman alongside Tucker Ashcraft and Nela Tupou, especially in 13 personnel.
He’s now listed at 245 pounds, and the combination of size and movement for a true freshman still jumps out. During the portions open to media, he was working sled drills and blocking periods and looked unrestricted.
Kolojay is in a different spot, but his return still matters. He currently profiles as the backup and next man up at guard, essentially guard No. 3 on the two-deep, and he can play either side. He’s still getting fully acclimated after earlier bangs, and while the upside is obvious, the players ahead of him have put together strong camps.
Special teams also offered a clearer picture. On punt returns, Trent Mosley remains the obvious favorite to start, while Zacharyus Williams and newly added Terrell Anderson are also getting work.
On kick returns, Deshonne Redeaux still looks like the top choice, with Riley Wormley and Shahn Alston in the mix as well. The depth and versatility there look solid.
There were a few other notable developments from the field. Tanook Hines was back practicing without any setbacks after returning the previous day.
The individual work periods had the offensive and defensive lines drilling specific techniques, including splitting double teams. And the coaching culture was on full display, with upperclassmen and starters actively teaching younger players during drills - Jahkeem Stewart coaching up Floyd Boucard was one example that stood out.
That kind of tone fits the way camp has been trending. The physicality and intensity keep rising, and the team looks like it’s flipping the switch at the right moment.
After practice, there was a run of player interviews featuring Prophet Brown, Floyd Boucard, Zuriah Fisher, and RJ Sermons. Brown said he’s happy to be healthy and available after missing all of last season. He also stressed his versatility, saying he can play corner, nickel, or safety, and added that he’s enjoying the defensive system under Gary Patterson and Paul Gonzalez.
Fisher talked about how much the younger players in the room have grown from spring to fall and specifically pointed to Simote Katoanga’s development. He also said the room has good depth.
Sermons made his first media appearance as a redshirt freshman and described himself as a legacy player who is focused on building his own legacy. He said he has a strong relationship with Coach Reed and talked about how tight-knit the position room feels.
Lincoln Riley is scheduled for a Zoom/media availability on Thursday, and an official depth chart should be coming soon. For now, USC’s final full viewing day is in the books, and the Trojans got exactly what they needed: a clean, focused practice with the right bodies getting healthy at the right time.
In Other News...
USC Finally Gets Its Notre Dame Rivalry Back In A New Form
After more than two years of negotiations and plenty of uncertainty created by USCs move to the Big Ten, the Trojans and Notre Dame have settled on a new way to keep one of college footballs signature rivalries alive. The schools announced Aug. 3 that they will resume the series starting Aug. 31, 2030, with a four-year agreement that keeps the game in its familiar early-season slot and gives both fan bases a clear reason to circle future calendars.
USC will host the first meeting at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2030, then again in 2032, while Notre Dame Stadium gets the return games in 2031 and 2033. It is not the old annual setup, and the broader scheduling picture still reflects the realities of conference realignment, but the agreement at least restores a rivalry that had been left hanging while both sides worked through the logistics of making it fit again. [Read more 🡒]
Zuriah Fisher Offers An Early Read On USCs New Defensive Identity
USCs defense is trying to look and play different in 2026, and the early signs of that makeover have come from a group that barely knew each other a few months ago. Gary Patterson is steering the new-look unit, and the Trojans have supplemented it with five transfer additions, including former Penn State defensive end Zuriah Fisher, whose five years of Big Ten experience gives him a useful frame of reference for what this group wants to become.
Fisher has also been part of the push to add more edge and toughness up front after getting back on the field following a minor camp injury. From his vantage point, the defense is already showing progress in the areas Patterson has emphasized, with the young players especially beginning to settle into the standard USC wants to set. The bigger question now is how much of that early physicality can hold once the real pressure starts. [Read more 🡒]