Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where we’re happy to report that the USC beat had a chance to sit down with USC’s assistants over some breakfast burritos last week. It’ll be a while before we’re talking football again. So why not get in a few parting takeaways from the spring and my various conversations with assistants?
1. It doesn’t feel all that bold anymore to predict that Trent Mosley will have an influence immediately as a freshman this fall. The Rancho Margarita star receiver has done nothing but impress since his arrival at USC. “Trent had a really, really strong spring,” tight ends/inside receivers coach Chad Savage said. “Super excited for the future he’s got at USC. He carries himself like a pro. The way he handled the playbook for an early enrollee is very, very impressive.” I’ve been around long enough to know those comments check all the boxes for a breakout player. If he’s not starting right away in the slot, it will only be a matter of time.
2. With Tanook Hines out for spring, sophomore wideout Corey Simms suddenly found himself with an outsized amount of responsibility. The staff had him learn multiple spots and play on both sides of the field, a role usually reserved for more veteran receivers. But Simms, somehow, has been at USC for longer than any other receiver in the room. It was a big opportunity for Simms, and Dennis Simmons, USC’s receivers coach, called the experience “a big eye-opener.” I don’t think we’ll see Simms step into a starting role, but I expect we’ll see a lot more of him this fall.
3. I’ll be really curious to see how freshman wideout Ethan “Boobie” Feaster fits into that mix when he gets to campus this summer. Feaster was one of USC’s few signees not to enroll in January, so he’ll be playing catch-up. But don’t be surprised if you see a rise similar to Hines’ last season. Feaster is being compensated too well to not get a shot. Another freshman receiver who could get some unexpected run this fall? Tron Baker.
4. There was a stretch this spring where Savage could sense freshman tight end Mark Bowman was thinking too much. Considering how much is asked of the tight end position at USC, it’s understandable. All it took, though, was week off for spring break, Savage said, for Bowman to bounce back — and faster than most freshmen would. “The tight ends, we put a lot on their plate mentally,” Savage said. “But once he could think less and play faster, he was back to being the Mark Bowman we know he’s capable of being.”
5. So much can still change along USC’s offensive line, which, in this case, is actually a good thing. But offensive line coach Zach Hanson did make a few things clear. One, Tobias Raymond will be “pinned down on the inside,” meaning he won’t play tackle, where he’s spent 68% of his snaps at USC. It’s not set in stone if he’ll start at center or join Alani Noa as a starting guard. But to me, it makes sense to slot him at center while giving freshman Breck Kolojay a shot to snag a starting guard spot. “He’s as sharp as anybody I’ve been around as a true freshman,” Hanson said of Kolojay. “From a physical standpoint as well, man, he’s got great feet. He’s a big physical kid. He’s strong.” I asked Hanson if he had the makeup to play right away, and he didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely,” Hanson said. Hayden Treter is the other guard pushing to play on the inside.
6. Right tackle will be one of the best battles in fall camp. Justin Tauanuu, the incumbent, sat out all of spring, ceding the spot for the time being to Elijah Vaikona. It’s too close to call between those two right now, and that’s before you consider Keenyi Pepe, the highest-rated offensive linemen recruit in USC history. It’s a good problem for Hanson to have.
7. No offensive lineman on USC’s roster has taken anywhere near the number of live reps as Alani Noa — 1,461 over the last two seasons — but when Noa was away from the team during bowl season, it was a real question if he’d return. “He was trying to figure out exactly what he wanted to do,” Hanson said. “Obviously excited to have him back.” He’ll be locked into one of the guard spots and has the “ability to be a top-round draft pick,” according to Hanson. The biggest thing standing in his way right now, though? Confidence. That’s what USC has been working on with him since his return.
8. Gary Patterson equated the learning process for USC’s defense this spring to “drinking out of a fire hose.” The team only held one full-on scrimmage and spent most of the session learning. But now, the team and staff starts back at Day 1 of installment and does it again. By August, Patterson said, they should have gone through the whole system four times.
9. USC rolled with a rotation of primarily three defensive ends last season — Kameryn Crawford, Braylan Shelby and Anthony Lucas. Lucas is off to the NFL now, but defensive line coach Shaun Nua is “very, very optimistic” that USC will have more depth rushing off the edge this season. “Depth is always your friend,” Nua said. With that in mind, expect a larger rotation this year, one that should at least include Penn State transfer Zuriah Fisher and, of course, No. 1 overall recruit Luke Wafle. Wafle, Nua said, spent the spring trying to better understand his weaknesses. “It’s kind of eye-opening for him that there’s still a lot for him to learn,” Nua said.
10. We could see at the end of last season that defensive back Alex Graham had a chance to be something special, and after spring, I’m buying even more stock. “I love his makeup,” safeties coach Paul Gonzales said. “I mean, always in the building, works hard, smart and instinctive. I’m excited about where we’re putting him in this defense and how he’s going to make plays with his skill set. I think he’s gonna be an impact player for us.” Don’t be surprised if he’s the best player in USC’s defensive backfield this fall.
Top 5 … USC receivers of the last 10 years
USC wide receiver Drake London heads to the end zone against Utah in a 2021 game.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
With Makai Lemon set to be selected in Thursday’s first round of the NFL draft, I got to talking with a friend who went to USC, D Magazine’s Mike Piellucci, about where Lemon ranks among Trojan receivers of the last decade. So I decided to rank them …
5. Amon-ra St. Brown. Could definitely be higher on this list. But in 2019, on the same offense, it was the No. 4 receiver on this list who was top dog.
4. Michael Pittman Jr. Caught over 100 passes in 2019 and was the Pac-12’s best deep threat in 2018. I’d put his ability to catch a pass in traffic against most of the receivers I’ve seen in my career.
3. Juju Smith-Schuster. Completely dominant in 2015. All the tools to be an all-around force, but never quite captured that potential.
2. Makai Lemon. The only Biletnikoff winner on this list, Lemon’s ability to create space over the middle of the field is second to none. He’s as safe as it gets when it comes to NFL receivers.
1. Drake London. The only bright spot in a dismal 2021 season and the most talented receiver I’ve covered in my career, college or pro. London can do everything. And he’s still getting better in the NFL.
—Lindsay Gottlieb’s quest to build a super team for the 2026-27 season continues. USC added both a 6-foot6 center (Florida State’s Pania Davis) and an experienced guard (Ryann Bennett of UC Davis), and it’s only been a week. The Trojans now have a 6-6 (Davis), 6-4 (Sitaya Fagan), 6-4 (Sara Okeke), 6-2 (Laura Williams) frontcourt. If all goes as planned, Gottlieb shouldn’t have to worry much about rebounding or rim protection next season.
—Expect the college football season to start in Week Zero in 2027. That was the recommendation of the Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee this past week. Their suggestion would eliminate the need for exceptions to play before Labor Day and give teams 14 weeks to play 12 games, starting in (usually) late August.
Olympic sports spotlight
After 11 years without a conference title, USC’s women’s tennis team clinched its first-ever Big Ten title with a win over Indiana on Saturday. That’s no small feat, considering that the Big Ten has four teams in the top 20. Saturday’s win also ensured the Trojans would finish this season undefeated at home — another feat they hadn’t accomplished in over a decade.
No. 10 USC has won seven matches in a row heading into the postseason. It’s been 40 years since USC last won a team national title in women’s tennis. This team could have a puncher’s chance if it keeps playing like this.
What I’m watching this week
Laurie Metcalf as Linda and Dan Levy as Nicky in “Big Mistakes.”
(Spencer Pazer / Netflix)
Since I first saw “Schitt’s Creek,” I’ve been buying stock in Dan Levy, who created and wrote the show while also giving a hilarious performance as David Rose. And after watching his latest show, “Big Mistakes,” I am ready to double down.
The show follows two hopelessly inept siblings — a pastor, played by Levy, and his schoolteacher sister, played by a hilarious Taylor Ortega — whose decision to steal a necklace for their dying grandmother leads them unintentionally into a world of organized crime where they are in way over their head. I haven’t laughed out loud this much during a 30-minute comedy in a minute.
Until next time …
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
