Setting realistic expectations for Miller Moss ahead of Year 1 as USC's starter

This offseason it seems like the expectations for USC quarterback Miller Moss have been all over the place. With some having high hopes for the California native following his breakout performance in the Holiday Bowl and others feeling that they haven’t seen enough from him following his lone start.

Trojans’ head coach Lincoln Riley has a phenomenal track record with quarterbacks that Moss will look to uphold this season. And at the On3 Roundtable, WeAreSC‘s Scott Schrader set the record straight on how he believes Moss will look in his first full season as a starter.

“I think the expectations for Miller are obviously going to be a lot different than they were for Caleb Williams, they’re completely different quarterbacks,” Schrader said. “Caleb was one of those guys that doesn’t come along very often.”

“But Miller is a very cerebral, very smart quarterback and he’s been in Lincoln’s system now for a couple of years and he’s not going to be required to run around for 10 minutes and throw 80 yards down field like last year and the year before actually quite honest.”

Not many quarterbacks are quite like Caleb Williams, who was selected with the No. 1 pick of the most recent NFL Draft.

But in his first career start against Louisville to end the season in Williams’ place, Moss surely posted similar numbers. Named the Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP after throwing for 372 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-28 win. Entering the 2024 season with the same cast of pass catchers from that ball game.

“And they have the playmakers, they brought in four guys in the class of 2023, receivers, in Ja’Kobi Lane, Zachariah Branch, Deuce Robinson and Makai Lemon. All of those guys are going to be big factors in the offense this year,” Schrader said.

“Miller’s spent a lot of time with those guys, they have the utmost respect, he is the clear leader of the football team. So I think you’re just going to see a guy that’s just going to be very efficient, and just deliver the ball to these guys and let them make the play.”

From Williams to other Heisman Trophy winners like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, Riley has a long line of quarterbacks who have reached the highest level of play in college football.

How close Moss will come to reaching those heights will be fascinating to watch this upcoming season, but it seems clear that he has the respect and the weaponry surrounding him to help the Trojans’ transition to the Big Ten Conference a successful one this year.