Despite criticism, USC is sticking with Miller Moss as its starting quarterback

Miller Moss, above passing against Penn State on Oct. 12, remains USC’s starting quarterback. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Questions swirled since Saturday, swept up in the bitter frustration of a third straight defeat and doused in the kerosene of social media. The decision Monday to close off media access would only add more speculative fuel to the fire, as fans wondered if major change might be afoot at USC.

But when Lincoln Riley was finally asked Monday night if Miller Moss would stay as the Trojans starting quarterback, the coach left no room for interpretation. He seemed, in fact, confused by the question.

“Of course,” Riley said, without hesitation. “One hundred percent.”

With USC’s season on the brink of disaster and Rutgers on tap Friday on a short week, not everyone outside the walls of Troy have expressed the same confidence in USC’s quarterback situation. Calls from fans to anoint the backup, dual threat transfer Jayden Maiava, have grown louder and louder among a vocal and frustrated contingent.

Read more: His defiance gone, Lincoln Riley struggles to explain USC’s latest devastating loss

But even with the Trojans at 3-4, Riley made quite clear Monday that he’s not entertaining that idea. Not yet, at least.

“He’s still executing at a very high level,” Riley said of Moss. “He’s making a lot of plays, a lot of really good decisions. There’s always going to be a couple mistakes, and the ones that he has certainly can’t kill us. He’s had a few that have certainly got to be better, but he’s made a lot of plays, and he’s put our guys in a lot of positions to make plays.

“Of course, I expect him to improve, and he does too, but he’s also the guy that’s put us in position to win all seven of these.”

Moss is hardly the only one who needs to improve on USC’s offense,…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/despite-criticism-usc-sticking-miller-204619797.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-10-22 20:46:19

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