USC football has plenty to work on as it prepares for the Penn State game. What is a reasonable summation of the state of the Trojans' offense? We have some thoughts on the passing game and the running game.
Jayden Maiava looked off against Washington. He wasn't hitting precise targets. He wasn't on the same page as his receivers. USC really misses Trent Mosley, a dynamic and electric receiver who dazzled in the first few weeks of the season but missed the Rutgers, Oregon and Washington games. The Trojans badly need him against Penn State, so watch for his name on the injury report. He had a Jordan Addison-like ability to gain separation from corners and stretch the field so that secondaries became scattered. The other player who missed the Washington game,
and whom Maiava really needs back, is tight end Mark Bowman. He isn't the playmaker Mosley is, but he blocks, he gets open on shorter routes, he draws the attention of linebackers and safeties to free up receivers elsewhere on the field, and he has improved as the season has gone along. If neither Mosley nor Bowman can play at Penn State, I like the Nittany Lions' chances.
Now let's look at the USC run game. King Miller bulked up in the offseason. He is a stronger, tougher runner who pounds out two yards on 3rd and 1, and that's obviously a good thing, but the bulk has come at the expense of less speed. USC running backs are not hitting home runs this year. It's one of USC's biggest offensive problems. This team doesn't hit 70-yard touchdown runs, and it doesn't get 70-yard touchdown passes, either. The offense has very few plays of over 40 yards through five games. It's far too much three yards and a cloud of dust. USC really misses projected starting center Kilian O'Connor, who was knocked out for the season with an injury in August, before the season began. The offensive line just doesn't have its five best players and its best overall configuration. The running game has paid a price. Right now, it's definitely a pass-first offense, and the running game's job is to convert 3rd or 4th and 1.
USC needs key players to get healthy. It needs at least one of Mosley or Bowman against Penn State. The Trojans need to hit longer plays more often and be less of a dink-and-dunk offense.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC offense will need to hit more home runs as 2026 season continues
