Leading receiver Trent Mosley will miss USC’s Big Ten Conference opener against Rutgers on Saturday with an undisclosed injury.
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Head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters on Wednesday that the injury is not expected to keep the true freshman out long-term.
“We knew after the game that there was a little something that we needed to get looked at, and so we were able to do that,” Riley said. “He won’t be available this week, and we’ll just continue monitoring it forward.”
Mosley had two catches for 33 yards and one touchdown before leaving last Saturday’s game against Louisiana early in the fourth quarter and icing his right knee. USC was leading Louisiana 42-17 by the time the final quarter began.
The former Santa Margarita High standout has 13 catches for 255 yards and four touchdowns already this season. He’s scored at least one touchdown in all three games and was also shaping up to be a significant contributor on special teams, returning five punts for 158 yards so far – including an 86-yard return for a touchdown against the Ragin’ Cajuns.
The 12th-ranked Trojans (3-0) have rotated players on punt returns as well as kick returns throughout nonconference play. Mosley, as well as receivers Terrell Anderson, Zacharyus Williams, Corey Simms and running back Deshonne Redeaux are among the players who have served as return men.
Mosley was the most notable USC player listed as “out” on the Big Ten initial availability report that was released on Wednesday afternoon. Among the other players mentioned, safety Madden Riordan was listed as “doubtful,” while defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart, Redeaux and Jadyn Walker were listed as “questionable.”
The Big Ten has introduced a new system of injury reporting for this season. Teams are required to submit four availability reports each week, with the first one coming three days before a game.
Updated reports will be released each day leading up to the game and two hours before kickoff.
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“We’ll have the chance to upgrade or downgrade people as we go throughout the week and try to be as accurate on it as we can,” Riley said. “Hopefully all our fellow Big Ten participants will be as accurate on that as possible.”
PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT ADVANCES
The Protect College Sports Act is awaiting additional votes from the U.S. Senate to move on to House of Representatives consideration after making significant progress on Wednesday.
The Senate voted 74-24 to invoke cloture on the Motion to Proceed the Protect College Sports Act, meaning that debate and filibustering related to the bipartisan bill are coming to a close and the Senate is proceeding to a vote.
“This bill brings order to (college sports),” bill co-sponsor Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said on the Senate floor before the vote.
“It helps women and Olympic sports, and it sets up a commission to look at the real future, which I think should include collective bargaining. … Let’s bring some sanity. Recognize that athletes do deserve revenue sharing, and that this bill will put that into law for the first time.”
The Protect College Sports Act addresses a wide range of pressing current issues in college sports, including eligibility, transferring, midseason coaching transitions and protection for women’s and Olympic sports.
It also proposes a new revenue model and will introduce a 22% cap on revenue that can be shared with players and adds a “retention pool” that can be used to keep players at a school.
The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and has support from former Alabama coach Nick Saban, current Colorado coach Deion Sanders and Arkansas men’s basketball coach John Calipari. The NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus oppose the bill.
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