Miller Moss, who began the season as USC’s starting quarterback, is entering the transfer portal. Moss posted a statement on Monday declaring his intentions to enter the portal as a graduate transfer, where he will have one season of eligibility remaining.
In the statement, Moss thanked his professors, coaches, teammates and friends, and said that he was transferring in order to improve as a quarterback and advance to the next level.
“Being a USC Trojan was a lifelong dream of mine. Putting on the cardinal and gold and competing on behalf of my teammates and school is something I will forever take pride in. I poured everything I have into this — body, heart, mind, and soul — and am humbled by and proud of what my teammates and I accomplished, and fought tooth and nail for,” Moss wrote.
Moss, who grew up in Santa Monica, Calif., spent two seasons as Caleb Williams’ backup after taking a redshirt his freshman year.
Moss started the season off strong, leading the team to a win over then-No. 13 LSU in the first game of the year. USC peaked at No. 11 following a 2-0 start, but plummeted after an upset loss to Michigan.
The tough loss in Ann Arbor was followed by losses to Minnesota, Penn State and Maryland. The Trojans’ struggles culminated in a 26-21 loss to Washington, where Moss threw three interceptions.
Redshirt sophomore Jayden Maiava took over as starting quarterback following that loss, and USC finished its first Big Ten season with a 6-6 record.
Despite the team’s struggles, Moss is expected to be sought after in the portal. The 22-year-old quarterback started 10 games in his time at USC, throwing for 3,469 yards and 27 touchdowns. He threw for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns this season prior to being replaced.
Moss told ESPN that he does not have a timeline in place for the portal, but that he is looking for a school that can compete for conference titles while helping him develop as a player.