USC names Williams’ backup Moss starting QB

• Paolo Uggetti, ESPNAug 19, 2024, 07:50 PM ET After spending 3 seasons as a backup, Miller Moss’ patience has formally paid off. In a relocation that was extensively anticipated, USC head coach Lincoln Riley called Moss the Trojans’ beginning quarterback Monday ahead of the start of the 2024 season.Moss, a junior, will enter the large shoes left by Caleb Williams, who spent two seasons at USC, won a Heisman Prize, and tossed for over 8,000 yards and 72 goals. Moss, for his part, has only tossed 59 pass attempts for 681 lawns and seven goals throughout his time at USC.It took Moss all of spring practice and the majority of fall camp to formally protect the position, but in lots of ways, Moss may have won the task back in December. With Williams deciding to not play in the Holiday Bowl in anticipation of his NFL draft decision, Moss entered the starting function and made the most of his opportunity.Editor’s Picks

With a tactical plan established for him to display his skill, Moss threw 33 passes, completing 23 of them for 372 backyards, and tallied 6 touchdowns– a Holiday Bowl record– on his method to leading USC to a 42-28 win over Louisville.

“He may’ve frightened anybody that wished to come here,” Riley stated at the time. “Miller might’ve bolted off at different times, but he’s stayed here. He’s gotten better.”

It was the type of performance Riley needed to see. Rather of dipping into the transfer website for two quarterbacks– a child and a veteran– like Riley said he would do, USC only brought in UNLV’s Jayden Maiava, giving Moss the clear opportunity to end up being the beginning quarterback.After USC’s spring game,

Riley stated Moss had been lights out and was the front-runner in the quarterback competitors versus Maiava.”He’s certainly ahead today

, there’s no concern about that, “Riley stated.”We’re in a position right now where we do not need to call a starter. … If we played today, it would definitely be Miller.” Over the course of the offseason and into fall camp, Moss had handled an even bigger leadership function within the team, pointing to his likely place as the starter. He was the Trojans’player agent at Big Ten media days in Indianapolis as well.But both Riley and other members of USC’s personnel had kept back from naming him the main starter

regardless of loading appreciation on how far Moss had actually come along.”He has a really excellent understanding of the system and he does a great task sharing it with his teammates,”quarterbacks coach Luke Huard said a few weeks back. “Miller has done a fantastic task of establishing himself, he can make all the throws.”Moss will get his first test of being a starting quarterback for a regular-season game when USC faces off against LSU in

Las Vegas on Sep. 1 to open the season.