Miller Moss performance against Rutgers should quiet his critics

Tim Prangley, Trojans Wire

Miller Moss learned a tough truth about being the starting quarterback at USC over the past month: Being the starter at the most important position on the field will lead to a tidal wave of criticism when things go wrong. To be sure, Moss did make some key mistakes in the Trojans’ recent run of losses. Moss could have made some better throws late against Penn State. His interception at Maryland was a pivotal play in a close loss. He is not exempt from blame when considering why this USC season has fallen short. Yet, his superb performance against Rutgers on Friday night should be instructive for anyone who wanted Jayden Maiava to replace Moss at quarterback.

Some USC football fans got ahead of themselves in the offseason when they said Miller Moss would be better than Caleb Williams. This line of thought emerged because everyone saw Moss throw checkdowns and play responsible football in the Holiday Bowl against Louisville. He did things Caleb didn’t do. He ran the offense instead of playing hero ball. It was attractive and exciting to see a quarterback trust Lincoln Riley’s system. The Moss hype train gained momentum after the very impressive Week 1 showing against LSU.

Yet, for all of Moss’ strengths, it was always true that, believe it or not, he wasn’t Caleb Williams. He was not a No. 1 overall NFL draft pick. He wasn’t even a first-round draft pick. We all had to realize who Miller Moss was … and wasn’t. Friday against Rutgers, the truth about Miller Moss emerged in full. Let’s talk about that truth after USC’s comfortable win:

FIRST THINGS FIRST — RUTGERS IS BAD

Dec 31, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights helmets sit on the goal l line prior to a game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

We have…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/miller-moss-performance-against-rutgers-070659619.html

Author : Trojans Wire

Publish date : 2024-10-26 07:06:59

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