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USC football quarterback Miller Moss is already planning recruiting visits after announcing his decision to leave the Trojans and put his name in the transfer portal. The junior QB is departing from Lincoln Riley's program after a tough first season in the Big Ten. USC football finished 11th in the conference, compiling a 6-6 record overall.
College Sports Business and Transfer Portal Reporter for On3 Pete Nakos confirmed that Moss will travel to the University of Missouri and the University of Louisville in the coming week. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Miller Moss' departure puts even more pressure on Lincoln Riley
For the season, Miller Moss threw for 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Those totals were enough to give the first-year starter the 27th-best QBR in the country. Despite those solid numbers, the junior was benched after nine games in favor of sophomore Jayden Maiava. Moss' last game as a Trojan came in a 26-21 loss to Washington.
Lincoln Riley has gone 25-14 in his three years with USC football. The former Oklahoma head coach had a great first year in Southern California, helping quarterback Caleb Williams win the 2022 Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately, the last two seasons have been very disappointing.
The Trojans are now in a stacked conference in the Big Ten, looking up to new rivals like Penn State and Ohio State. Some former Pac-12 schools, however, have seamlessly fit into the Big Ten. An example being the No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks.
The Ducks' ability to dominate one of the two best conferences in the country immediately showcases that there's no excuse for Lincoln Riley to have this kind of year at USC. The Trojans have constantly put out top-10 recruiting classes since their new coach arrived. The fanbase, therefore, has plenty of reasons to believe this program can be much better.
Despite these struggles and the calls for Lincoln Riley to be fired, USC football fans should not lose hope. The Trojans are not as far off from being a contender as many pundits think.
Five out of six of the Trojans' losses were by one score or less. In addition, USC's defense had a significantly better year in 2024. Under new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, the Trojans gave up 23.5 points per game, which is more than a 10-point improvement from 2023.
Overall, Lincoln Riley should be trusted to turn around the Trojans. Nevertheless, it's fair to say he needs to show progress very soon. USC football is losing some recruits and transfers over this offseason. These recent updates showcase how a bad few years can lead to a program's demise.
Miller Moss's departure additionally highlights the program's current question mark at the quarterback position. While the junior did not seem to be in Lincoln Riley's future plans, it's still unclear who the starter will be heading into 2025.
A year ago, USC football lost the No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2023, Malachi Nelson, to the portal. This was a devastating loss for the program, especially considering that Lincoln Riley's specialty throughout his career has been developing a talented QB into a bona fide superstar.
But it's been about a year since that news, and no one is feeling sorry for USC's head coach now. Riley must develop a new quarterback quickly in his fourth year for the sake of his future in Southern California.
