Miller Moss, the starting quarterback for USC, has made a strong impression in his first three games with the team, under the direction of head coach Lincoln Riley. Moss’s first career start saw him defeat Louisville in the Holiday Bowl in December, with 372 yards and six touchdowns to his name. He then threw 378 passing yards in an upset win against LSU in the season opener, and 229 yards and a score in a 48-0 victory over Utah State. In total, Moss has 979 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, and one interception in his first three starts. Riley praised Moss for being intelligent and having a strong understanding of the game.
Riley has had the opportunity to work with several impressive quarterbacks during his time coaching at Oklahoma and USC. Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and Caleb Williams have all been under his tutelage, all of whom have gone on to have successful careers in the NFL, with six playoff berths and four playoff wins between them. Hurts, who only spent one year under Riley, nonetheless achieved much under his guidance.
Riley’s ability to develop quarterbacks and his strategic offensive play-calling have played an important role in attracting talented players to the program. This includes Moss, who grew up an avid Trojans fan, went to high school in Los Angeles and committed to USC when the team was struggling. Moss’s commitment to USC, even during challenging times, has won him respect from teammates and coaches alike. As Riley noted, Moss’s dedication to his vision of playing at this level, combined with his dream of representing this particular school, has been central to his success.
Despite Moss’s strong start at USC, the performance of former teammate Caleb Williams on his NFL debut with the Chicago Bears has been less impressive. Williams only completed 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards, though the Bears did beat the Tennessee Titans 24-17. Riley offered his support to Williams, expressing confidence in his continued development and the expectation that he will learn from his mistakes. This was a challenging situation for Williams, who has not often experienced a win without exceptional offensive performance.
To address the defensive struggles that have characterized its last few seasons, USC brought in D’Anton Lynn from rival team UCLA as the new defensive coordinator last season. Other additions to the defensive coaching team include linebackers coach Matt Entz, defensive backs coach Doug Belk, and defensive line coach Eric Henderson. This revised defensive lineup has performed strongly thus far, holding LSU to just 20 points in the first week and securing USC’s first shutout win since 2011 against Utah State. Riley recognized the impact of the defensive team, highlighting the energy and strategy they bring to the game.
The Trojans’ next challenge will be the Big Ten opener against Michigan in Ann Arbor on Sept. 21. After this, the team will take a week off for a bye. As Riley continues to guide young talents such as Moss, and with the support of a revamped defensive lineup, fans and commentators alike will be looking forward to more impressive performances from USC.
