​Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.With 36 days to go, today we take it back to the 1970s and look at former USC fullback Mosi Tatupu.Position: Running backYears played at USC: 1974-1977Career highlights: Coming to USC from Hawaii, Tatupu starred at fullback for the Trojans. In addition, he became a special teams standout, while also making a name for himself blocking for star running backs Ricky Bell and Charles White. Tatupu is a member of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.From 1997 through 2006, the Mosi Tatupu Award was given out to the top special teams player in college football.After USC: The New England Patriots selected Tatupu in the eighth round of the 1978 NFL Draft. He would go on to play 13 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Patriots, becoming a fan favorite and a special teams ace. In 1986, he was named to the Pro Bowl.After retiring from football, Tatupu remained in Massachusetts, getting into coaching at the high school and Division III levels. His son, Lofa Tatupu, was an All-American linebacker on USC’s early 2000s national championship teams.Tatupu passed away in 2010 at the age of 54. According to an autopsy, CTE sustained during his football career played a role in his young death.Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans fullback Mosi Tatupu