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Pete Thamel, ESPN
USC quarterback Miller Moss is entering the NCAA transfer portal, he told ESPN in a phone interview.
Moss will have one year of eligibility remaining after starting 10 games during his time at USC, which started in the spring of 2021. He said he has informed the USC staff of his decision.
“I really enjoyed my time at USC,” Moss told ESPN. “It was transformative for my life as a whole and for me growing up for the last few years. I’m thankful. I gave that program everything I had.
“There comes a point where there’s a time to move on to new opportunities, and I’m hoping to better myself as a person and a player.”
In his career at USC, Moss threw for 3,469 yards and 27 touchdowns, completing 65.9% of his passes. Moss threw for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns for USC this season, where he started nine games before being replaced as the starter.
There’s expected to be a strong market for Moss, 22, who brings the combination of age, experience and production, which are generally coveted in the NCAA transfer portal. Moss threw for 378 yards against LSU, threw for three touchdowns against Michigan, Wisconsin and Maryland and also ran for a pair of touchdowns.
Moss said that in his next step, he’s going to look for a school that can complete for a conference championship and win “at the highest level.” He also wants a program that can ultimately help him develop for the next level.
He said he’s looking forward to engaging with different coaching staffs about systems.
“I think that’s something that I’m excited about in terms of the process,” he said. “Being able to dive into different systems with different coaches and places and see what I gravitate toward in that process.”
Moss stressed the positive experience he had at USC, including earning a bachelor’s degree in law, history and culture, with a minor in business finance.
He said his emotions leaving are more of excitement than nerves, as he’s curious what the college football experience is like somewhere other than USC.
“It’s definitely exciting,” he said. “The biggest part of leaving USC is that I’m going to miss my teammates and the relationships I’ve built there. The hardest part of leaving is that I have a tremendous relationships.”
He expects the transfer process to move quickly and said he doesn’t have a timeline in mind. He’s looking forward to a year of full immersion in football that often comes with a graduate transfer year.
Moss said watching from the sideline the past three weeks is something he thinks will provide motivation going forward.
“I’ve had a tremendous amount of positive memories from USC,” he said. “And those don’t go away because it’s been a rough last three weeks. But those three weeks don’t go away either.
“We’re all shaped or jaded by our experiences, whether they are positive or negative. It’s something that I’ll carry with me.”
When asked what he’d tell a prospective team, Moss said: “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for the guys in the locker room and guys I compete with. I’m hesitant to sell myself, but I have every confidence in myself as a player and a leader.”