USC's Miller Moss leads first wave of quarterbacks entering the transfer portal

2 December 2024Last Update :
USC's Miller Moss leads first wave of quarterbacks entering the transfer portal

USC quarterback Miller Moss announced on Monday morning that he will enter the transfer portal after spending the past four seasons with the Trojans.

Moss started nine games for USC this season and passed for 2,555 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He played relatively well but committed some critical turnovers in untimely situations. The Trojans went 4-5 in games he started.

USC often asked Moss to do too much. He attempted 45 passes in four of his starts even though the running game was the strength of the Trojans offense. With the season going south, coach Lincoln Riley opted for a change at quarterback and inserted UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava as the starter.

Moss should be one of the better quarterbacks available this offseason, though he’s not overly mobile and doesn’t have the strongest arm.

 

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The ideal situation for him is to land with a program that has a balanced approach, a solid run game and a strong supporting cast that doesn’t ask the quarterback to carry the team on a weekly basis.

Moss arrived at USC in January 2021 in the same recruiting class as Jaxson Dart. Moss was the third-team quarterback behind Kedon Slovis, the team’s starter, and Dart that season.

Both Dart and Slovis left after Riley was hired in November 2021. Moss stayed with the program and patiently waited for two seasons behind Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. He beat out Class of 2023 five-star signee Malachi Nelson for the backup job in 2023.

Moss made his first career start in the Holiday Bowl last December and threw six touchdown passes in the Trojans’ 42-28 win over Louisville. Maiava joined the program in January but Moss held him off and was named the full-time starter in August.

The high point of his 2024 season came in the opener when he led the Trojans on a game-winning drive to beat LSU in Las Vegas.

Maiava is expected to return and the Trojans will welcome in five-star freshman Husan Longstreet, but Riley will likely look to the portal for a potential upgrade and/or depth.

Moss is the most high-profile portal quarterback to date, but there have been some other intriguing names who have already announced they will be looking for new homes.

• Former FIU two-year starter Keyone Jenkins is an interesting option from the Group of 5 ranks. The 6-foot, 195-pound sophomore started 23 games for the Panthers over the last two seasons, completing 60 percent of his attempts for 4,971 yards, 33 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

• Thomas Castellanos went 11-9 as a starter for Boston College over the last two seasons and started the first eight games in 2024 before being benched and leaving the team last month. The 5-10, 196-pound junior has completed 58.6 percent of his 507 career pass attempts for 3,689 yards, 33 touchdowns and 19 interceptions and has added 1,427 yards on the ground and 15 touchdowns. He spent his freshman season at UCF.

• Another former ACC starting quarterback on the market: Anthony Colandrea, who went 6-11 in two seasons at Virginia. The 6-foot, 183-pound sophomore from St. Petersburg, Fla., has completed 62.2 percent of his 566 pass attempts for 4,083 yards, 26 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while running for 502 yards and two scores.

• The quarterback with arguably the most impressive win to date is Ethan Hampton. The 6-3, 216-pound redshirt junior led Northern Illinois to an upset win at Notre Dame in September. He completed 58.5 percent of his attempts for 1,600 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in his first season as a full-time starter.

• Matthew Sluka, who made headlines in September when he announced his decision to depart following a 3-0 start at UNLV, is the most experienced starting quarterback available so far. Sluka started 37 games at Holy Cross and was named the Patriot League’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. He has one season of eligibility left.

• Jacob Zeno started 17 games at UAB, including 11 in 2023, and is among the more experienced Group of 5 quarterbacks on the market. Zeno completed 73.6 percent of attempts for 3,126 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season and made the first four starts of the 2024 season for the Blazers. The 6-4, 210-pound former Baylor signee and San Antonio native is 5-12 as a starting quarterback.

• Zach Pyron is a former four-star who started four games at Georgia Tech, including losses to Notre Dame and Virginia Tech this season.

Some young players without any starts who are looking for new homes include Brayden Dorman (Arizona), Rickie Collins (LSU) and Holden Geriner (Auburn).

(Photo: Joe Nicholson / Imagn Images)