USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss is following in the footsteps of the sports giants. Without going into the entire history of USC quarterbacks, look no further than the player he will replace, Heisman Trophy winner and first overall pick in the NFL Caleb Williams. It’s hard enough to be a first-year starter, but it’s even harder to replace a superstar talent who has so captivated a nation and imbued a fan base with hope that they can win every game they play.
Here’s a reality check for the USC faithful: USC was 18-8 during Caleb Williams’ tenure. As condescending as he was on an individual level, it often wasn’t good enough. It sure won a few ball games along the way. However, the offensive talent as a whole was more complete and experienced than USC’s current build of offensive talent, especially along the offensive line. Playing quarterback alone is not enough to get to where this team and the faithful expect him to be.
November 18, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) scrambles against UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Carl Jones Jr. (4) during the second quarter at United Airlines Field in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagine Photos/Jason Parkhurst-Imagine Photos
“People, you know, are looking for a lot of negativity around our team, and that’s what it is, and I hope they keep that same energy going forward,” Moss said after Monday’s practice in response to a question from The Athletic’s USC writer Antonio Morales. About what this rough patch taught him.
USC has lost three straight games. However, Miller-Moss ranks No. 12 in the country and No. 3 in the Big Ten in passing yards. He is tied with other notable names like Jaxson Dart, Will Howard, and Avery Johnson with 14 passing touchdowns and also has a touchdown run. Moss also ranks No. 14 in passing yards per game and is completing 64% of his passes. By all accounts, this is a winning quarterback play. Moss is no Williams, but there’s only one of those, and that type of player doesn’t come around very often, if at all.
“I think we’ve had really good surges where you can see how elite we can be. But I mean, I don’t think we’ve put together four quarters… where we’ve been at our best, working with consistency at our utmost efficiency,” Moss said of the consistency. “.
Moss’s assessment is fair both on an individual level and from a macro standpoint in relation to the entire team. Moss has missed a key throw here and there. There were inappropriate objections. Those plays are important and have an impact. But the other end of the spectrum is also true. He’s been hit nearly as hard as any quarterback in college football. He was under pressure compared to the most pressured midfielders in the country. He also has an effective run game that can be very free but underutilized, causing more pressure on the offensive line in pass protection, then Moss’ turn.
October 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws a pass in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions United Airlines at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photos / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photos
Despite this, they are throwing the ball at the highest rate in Lincoln Riley’s coaching history. If Moss wasn’t the athlete Williams and others before him were under Riley, and if the offensive line was young, injured and inexperienced, why would USC throw the ball more than any Lincoln Riley team ever did? Especially with such a strong match and the lead in the second half, this doesn’t make sense.
Moss provided moments like the one on the drive against LSU to win the game. After a pick six at Michigan, he responded and threw a go-ahead run to score 14 unanswered. He had a second-half whale against Wisconsin as the team came back from a double-digit deficit. Those moments are important too. There were three separate occasions where USC’s defense had the opportunity to end ball plays with a lead and failed to do so. Is quarterback play being discussed if they succeed on these drives?
Moss was more insightful and thoughtful, but the end of this quote is the bottom line. This is the focus. Moss has complete confidence in himself and his teammates, as he should. Focusing on the outside world won’t help USC win bowl games. And if fans aren’t satisfied with the quality of quarterback play that consistently puts the team in a position to win games with these efforts, that’s on them.
September 21, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) walks off the field after the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagine Photos/Rick Osentoski-Imagine Photos
Why does Moss have to give up and give a definitive answer to please the fans? This won’t be enough for most people either. The inner belief in a player who was willing to wait his turn and grow still oozed from Moss, and he played well enough to feel that way.
“It’s kind of a mental trick now because people who watch tape and watch how we played and watch how we progressed, that tells you one thing and then you go look at the record and that tells you something else.” Lincoln Riley said Monday.
This is the truth in this case. Moss is not perfect, but he is a very solid quarterback who gave this team a chance to win every game they played and responded time and time again when faced with adversity. There’s no magic wand to wave. USC is losing bowl games en masse. They have yet to play a top-to-bottom quarterly game. Miller Moss may not be the solution to this desperate situation as a whole, but he is not the problem.
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