Washington Football's First Week Five Availability Report Vs USC

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Going into Saturday's Week Five matchup between Washington and USC, the Huskies are expected to get back at least one starter, with the potential for two or three.

On Wednesday's initial Big Ten availability report, UW listed third-year cornerback Emmanuel Karnley (soft-tissue injury) as probable to return for the first road game of the season. Fourth-year center Landen Hatchett (wrist) is listed as questionable coming off a late-season injury last fall against Illinois.

"We'll see if Landen's back," coach Jedd Fisch said during his weekly Monday press conference. After UW's 27-24 loss to Minnesota, the third-year coach stated that the 15-game starter between 2024 and 2025 got closer to being cleared to return, but had yet to participate in full team contact drills, which remains one of the main hurdles before the Ferndale, Washington native can take the field again.

Third-year nickel Rahshawn Clark, who returned against the Gophers on special teams but did not log a defensive snap, is no longer listed on the availability report, as Fisch indicated this week would be the case. Getting the pair of starters back should make a significant impact on the Huskies' ability to slow down the high-octane offense USC possesses.

On the opposing sideline, Trojans' coach Lincoln Riley has seven players with at least one starter listed on their initial availability report. Three players are listed as out for the game, with seven others listed as questionable, including star second-year defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart and first-year wide receiver Trent Mosley.

Veteran starting center Kilian O'Connor was ruled out for the season in early August by Riley, along with second-year safety Kendarius Reddick and second-year wide receiver Corey Simms. All three, in addition to Mosley and first-year linebacker Taylor Johnson, missed the Trojans' last game against Oregon, a 41-27 home loss.

Fifth-year defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren, a transfer from Michigan State, is a new addition to USC's availability report, as are freshman tight end Mark Bowman and third-year offensive lineman Hayden Treter, all of whom are listed as questionable on Wednesday.

If Bowman, who sits second in receptions (21) and third in receiving yards (204) for the Trojans, can't go, that would be a significant difference for second-year defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, who had high praise for the former five-star recruit out of Mater Dei High School.

"Not at that age," Walters said when asked if he's comparable to any other tight end he's faced. "No. He was rated the No. 1 tight end in the country for a reason. He's big, looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger did back in the day. He's a cut-up dude. He has really good athleticism, good catch radius. They find ways to creatively get him the ball."

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Football's First Week Five Availability Report Vs USC

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