Miller Moss has found himself under the microscope this season as USC’s quarterback, particularly following three agonizing losses. While the Trojans remain optimistic about turning their season around, Moss’s performance and leadership have come under fire. In recent interviews leading up to USC’s game against Maryland, the redshirt junior addressed the adversity he faced, his role in leading the team and his thoughts on how they can still salvage the season.
“I’m not looking at the year as a whole and saying what we need to do to be successful,” Moss said. “We’re really focused on taking care of business against Maryland. So that’s what we’re looking at right now.”
His focus on the next game speaks to his belief in short-term victories, yet what’s left in question is if this approach alone is enough to turn things around.
A pivotal moment that has stuck with fans and analysts alike is Moss’s late-game interception against No. 3 Penn State, a play that ultimately contributed to a 33-30 overtime loss for USC. Although Moss didn’t elaborate on the specifics of the interception in practice interviews, he was clear about the team’s overall offensive performance.
“I thought offensively, we did a really good job. There aren’t better defenses than that. There are defenses as good as that, but no one had come close to touching 30 points on them, and we were two penalties away from having 40,” Moss said.
However, he acknowledged the gravity of his late-game mistake, adding, “Obviously, the one at the end of the game in the two-minute drive was unfortunate.”
Moss’s leadership has been a subject of both praise and criticism. His wide receivers, particularly sophomore Duce Robinson, have defended Moss, citing his resilience and accountability.
“Miller’s great, man,” Robinson said. “Miller’s always been great… he’s a leader. There’s no one I would rather go to war with every single day.”
Robinson’s trust in Moss highlights how, despite the outside noise, Moss still commands the respect of his teammates.
Even after the interception that targeted Robinson, the receiver was quick to absolve Moss.
“I just wanted to make a play when my number was called,” Robinson said. “I have complete trust in Miller and the play call. It’s just one we would like to have back.”
But the pressure of being USC’s starting quarterback isn’t lost on Moss. He admitted that adversity is part of the game.
“Obviously, it’s difficult. We had some unfortunate circumstances, and it just is what it is,” Moss said. “But if it was easy, everyone would do it. This is what we signed up for: to do something that’s really hard and continue to put ourselves out there each week.”
Moss emphasized the importance of relying on the team’s core beliefs when times get tough.
“It’s important when you face adversity to lean back on what got you here and what you believe in,” Moss said. “I think we’ve done a good job so far as a team, and we need to continue to do that to put together a complete week.”
Although outside criticism may hurt, Moss remains confident in his relationship with fellow teammates. When describing his disconnect in plays with sophomore Zachariah Branch, USC’s standout wide receiver, Moss shared, “No one has put in more work than us as a skill group. Sometimes you hit those one-on-one situations, sometimes you don’t, but we were really close on a couple of them. I’m still very confident in Zach, and I’ll continue to get him the ball.”
His commitment to maintaining these relationships with his offensive weapons, despite moments of inconsistency, shows his optimism in overcoming challenges.
The quarterback also credited the offensive line, which has faced its own share of challenges this season.
“They’ve done a great job coming together and keeping me clean the past two weeks, which has been nice,” Moss said. “They’re a young group that has learned a lot and taken big strides this year.”
Fostering chemistry with his blockers is critical, especially given the high-pressure situations Moss has found himself in lately.
As USC prepares for Maryland, the pressure on Moss to turn things around is palpable. Quickly developing the ability to execute in key moments and elevate the play of those around him will determine whether the Trojans can salvage their year.
As Moss himself put it, “When two good teams play each other, it comes down to very small margins.”
Hopefully for USC fans, those margins will become smaller by the week for the Trojans.