Why Mark Bowman chose USC should excite Trojan fans about the program's future

Let others laugh or doubt what USC is working toward under coach Lincoln Riley. Preconceived notions of what to expect from this Trojans staff are misplaced. Whether those doubting elect to acknowledge it or not, this program is closer to approaching what was seen in Los Angeles under the days of coach Pete Carroll versus the doom and gloom that many are projecting.

The latest of such examples was perfectly embodied in the recent commitment of five-star tight end Mark Bowman. A product out of Mater Dei, he made it clear, as shared by @TrojanFBx on X, as to why he is coming to USC and what he is looking to further grow as a Trojan.

His reinforcing that the best local talent comes to USC and that the Cardinal and Gold are taking over again is an additional illustration of what coach Riley and GM Chad Bowden are striving to reestablish for the program.

Fortunately for Trojan fans, the early returns are showing immense player buy-in for those currently on the roster and among the string of commits.

Bowman is echoing the continued push that can be heard from the likes of Esun Tafa and Brandon Lockhart on a regular basis in their social media and interview interactions. What is nice is that these words are not being used as the typical platitudes. Instead, family and showing off pride for USC are important aspects of the current and future Trojans, embodied in how they go about their lives.

Pipeline and overall approach are working for USC

Having the best players from the Trinity League come to USC is important. Attracting the best players in the nation is a must; that goes without saying. To have the reasoning behind why Bowman has the desire to contribute to the Trojan Way is what is providing a lot of reason for optimism.

In terms of something more tangible, it also speaks to why the current staff is comfortable when recruiting two or three years ahead. For some, they will only believe it when they see USC rack up 10-plus wins. Looking at what is already manifesting, those days are right around the corner in Los Angeles.