Does Miller Moss' spotlight performance suddenly give Lincoln Riley a potential succession plan for Caleb Williams at USC?

Heading into the Holiday Bowl, many presumed Miller Moss would suit up for USC one final time before possibly entering the transfer portal for a chance to start elsewhere in 2024. 

Then Caleb Williams’ backup went out and torched Louisville for 372 yards and six touchdowns — including four by halftime — leaving everyone to wonder if USC had found its starting quarterback for next season. 

I don’t know if Miller Moss has made Lincoln Riley’s succession plans easier or harder, but suddenly, the Trojans have options. 

“He did a great job. Shoot, he might have scared off anybody that would want to come here anyway,” Riley said after USC’s 42-28 win Wednesday in the Holiday Bowl.

“(Miller) was awesome. It’s a performance game.” 

For several weeks now, the Trojans have been linked to former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, with Riley visiting Howard in Manhattan and later hosting the senior on a visit in Los Angeles two weeks ago. 

But Howard has yet to commit to USC, and Ohio State has seriously entered the equation. 

Just a day ago, the Trojans looked a program that could be left out of the transfer quarterback musical chairs, but what if they don’t even need to play that game anymore?

Could Moss’ performance — one in which he overcame an ugly goal-line interception and threw dart after dart to a receiver unit missing Brenden Rice and Mario Williams — seriously scare off Howard or another prospective starter from the transfer portal? 

Maybe. 

He was that good

Moss had waited years for this moment, and he took full advantage. 

He’s a California kid who grew up a huge USC fan. He lost his senior season to the pandemic, not having started a game since high school in 2019. 

He persisted through a coaching change, multiple quarterbacks getting recruited over him (Jaxson Dart, Caleb Williams and Malachi Nelson) and the notion he couldn’t be the guy in 2024, either. 

Well about that. 

Riley wasn’t ready to commit to Moss for next season, but he spoke glowingly about the 6-2, 200-pound quarterback, complementing his commitment to the program and his play on the field. 

“Miller’s had a passion for this university and program for a long time,” Riley said. 

“We’ve seen that in his ability to hang in there, to continue to get better. Part of the reason I think he continued to play well tonight is the consistency he brought. He could’ve bolted off at different times. He stayed here. He’s gotten better. That’s why a night like tonight happened. He’s obviously a tremendous leader for our program, was a great leader for us tonight and I’m really excited to see what the future holds for him because he’s going to continue to get better and better.”

Against the Cardinals, Moss completed nearly 70% of his passes and averaged 11.3 yards per attempt. For all of Caleb Williams’ brilliance, Moss played within the structure of Riley’s offense. He was able to find time in the pocket and complete big shots — with seven throws going for at least 25 yards. 

Senior wideout Tahj Washington had a monster game (seven receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns), but Moss also showcased a nice rapport with a trio of freshmen wideouts who will step into bigger roles in 2024 (Makai Lemon, Ja’Kobi Lane and Duce Robinson combined for 179 yards and three touchdowns against Louisville). 

Sophomore receiver Kyron Hudson, who caught one of Moss’ six touchdowns, endorsed his teammate for the starting job next season, saying,“What Miller did out there, it’s something that’s going to help us in the future, so, personally, yes, he did. I’m super excited for Miller. He waited his time, and he’s ready for it. He’s the guy we need.”

Perhaps it was just a lightning-in-the-bottle performance, but the team certainly didn’t sound surprised with how Moss played. USC seemed united around the idea that they have their guy, their leader moving forward. 

It has not been a fun season for USC, and Riley isn’t going to celebrate an 8-5 year with a win in the Holiday Bowl. But Moss’ spotlight performance could be the launching point of something for 2024. Maybe Williams’ successor was on the roster all along. 

“It’s a small step in the right direction,” Moss said after the game. “But definitely a lot more to accomplish and I’m excited about it.”