Lincoln Riley’s New Mantra — Plug the Leaks!

Is Miller Moss still USC’s starting QB? Lincoln Riley says ‘of course’

Moss spoke with some bite after USC’s practice on Monday night, calling for those who looked for negativity around the Trojans to ‘keep that same energy going forward’

USC quarterback Miller Moss has had some costly miscues in recent weeks, but it does not sound like he is in any danger of losing his starting job. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
USC QB Miller Moss has had some costly miscues in recent weeks, but it does not sound like he is in any danger of losing his starting job. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Luca Evans (OC Register —  LOS ANGELES — The only thing unmistakably different on Monday, really, was that USC’s players trotted out past reporters from Howard Jones Field under the night sky and not the late-afternoon sun.

There was nothing to change, drastically, outside of shifting media availability from Tuesday’s practice to Monday on a short week, with the team set to host Rutgers (4-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) on Friday night. Nothing to fix, even as these Trojans sit in their most confounding stretch of the Lincoln Riley era. They are 3-4 overall (1-4 Big Ten), and yet have outscored their opponents by 58 points, and dropped those four games by a combined 14 points. There is no central issue in this, Riley pointed out Monday night.

“The obvious thing everyone is going to say is, you’ve gotta finish games better,” the head coach said. “Uh, no (expletive). But why haven’t we?”

Anything that his staff saw that wasn’t functioning at a high level, Riley explained later, they were “aggressively addressing.”

What they’re not addressing: their starting quarterback.

“We’ve had a myriad of different issues,” Riley said. “I don’t see one central issue like it’s this position group or this player or this scheme or this coach. Like they’re not doing this well and that’s why we haven’t closed out these games. We’ve sprung some leaks in different places, and we’ve got to keep coaching and keep progressing. Anything that we see that isn’t functioning at a high level or heading that way, we’re aggressively addressing it, and we’ll do anything we have to do to continue to plug these leaks and get better.”

As USC has closed off practice to media ahead of Friday’s game, it seemed possible, in a hint of gamesmanship, that Riley could be playing his cards close to the vest in a QB1 swap. But when asked if junior Miller Moss was still USC’s starter this week, on Monday, Riley’s eyebrows furrowed with apparent confusion – as if surprised at the suggestion he would consider rolling with anyone else.

“Of course,” Riley responded, voice pitching up in muted exclamation. “100%.”

Three short weeks ago, Moss spun his way to his moment in the sun, capping a four-touchdown performance with a contact-absorbing pirouette into the end zone against Wisconsin. Early returns on his Holiday Bowl follow-up, largely, had impressed, Moss racking up eight touchdowns against just two interceptions in his first four games.

But cycles of cries from USC’s fan base for UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava have intensified with each week since, the patience and adulation for Moss’ perseverance in Riley’s quarterback room long gone after three increasingly devastating losses.

Moss finished 23 for 38 with two interceptions in USC’s loss to Minnesota; in the two weeks since, he has thrown two game-changing interceptions, first a turnover at the end of regulation against Penn State and then a third-quarter momentum killer at Maryland.

And Moss, after slouching in visible defeat after Saturday’s postgame press conference, spoke to reporters on Monday with broad-shouldered bite.

“No, I mean, I have a small circle of people whose opinions I care about,” he said, when asked if it had been challenging to filter outside noise. “Everyone else, you know, say what they will. It’s part of the job.”

The mistakes, certainly, have hurt. But Riley – part of that circle, naturally – continued to emphasize Monday that Moss is the player who has put USC in position “to win all seven of these.” Entrusted with more responsibility to carry a quick-hit and intermediate game through the air than Caleb Williams ever had, Moss still game-managed effectively against Penn State and threw for 336 yards and three scores against Maryland.

“He’s still executing at a very high level,” Riley said Monday. “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.”

“Everybody goes through tough stretches,” Riley continued, a question later. “Everybody goes through times where things don’t fall your way, and the best ones continue to battle. And he’s one of the best ones, and he’s going to continue to battle.”

For all his time in a cardinal-and-gold jersey, Moss is still approaching just the ninth start of his career. The past stretch, he said Monday, had taught him plenty about who he is. And he stuck true to the man in the arena mantra once stitched on the back of his graduation robe, a young man who had mumbled into the microphone Saturday speaking with a philosopher’s song two days later.

“The power, the integrity, all that stuff, that comes to people who are able to navigate difficult things, to continue to go back out there, to continue to put their work on display in front of the world,” Moss said. “To continue to go back out there, to continue to put their work on display in front of the world, and not the people that are continuing to tear them down no matter what.”

And then came another jab, self-actualization turned to scorn, a veiled hint that he didn’t plan on going anywhere.

“So, obviously, people, you know, seek a lot of negativity around our team, and it is what it is,” Moss finished. “And I hope they keep that same energy going forward.”

ocregister.com

___________

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DanaPtTrojan
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DanaPtTrojan
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October 24, 2024 3:27 pm

Thanks to Allen Wallace for allowing us old Trojans to vent. My wife says “let it go”. Trouble is she’s said that since the Reggie Bush disgrace. Now we all got enamored with that bright shiny object “Caleb Williams” accompanying LC off the private jet. That was a great year with another Heisman for Heritage Hall. We all hoped like hell we’d turned the corner. Nope, old LC did a masterful “two step Muleshoe shuffle”, and none of us watched his fancy footwork. My instincts tell me this is not “a sustainable business model”. I hold my breath when I… Read more »

Trojanfanatic
Noble Genius
Trojanfanatic
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October 23, 2024 6:30 am

I think we need to move on from tippy toeing around the truth that Miller is at best an average qb, that often in games ( more evident witnessed at the coliseum than tv) throws low velocity / flutter balls that compromise the offense including a lack of feet, which is necessary with Riley’s under recruited / portaled Oline. Especially with Riley’s pass : run ratio so unbalanced. Consider what any of the top 10 current HC’s would do, hell look at the retired ones. You know the answer because you’ve seen it for years. Even Riley had done it,… Read more »

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
Golden Trojan
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October 23, 2024 10:23 am
Reply to  Trojanfanatic

In the Maryland game he seemed to have more time to go down field but many throws were short. He ranks 63 out of 110 FBS QBs. He may be injured. All this and the “offensive genius” continues to keep him in there and have a 60:40 pass to run ratio.

TrojanRon
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TrojanRon
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October 23, 2024 2:23 am

I know Moss is Riley’s starter, but it would be a good thing if some RPO packages could be developed for Maiava and have him come in at different times in a game. It would be a good change of pace and the opposing defenses would have to deal with a QB that can run and pass. I’m not suggesting that Riley platoon Moss and Maiava, but at least have a change for the opposition to deal with.

Golden Trojan
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Golden Trojan
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October 22, 2024 10:05 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Gotta be tough to be “committed to each other” when the one at the top is the one that is letting you down! Riley you stink! Hanging these kids out to dry. Grow up be a man learn to be better! There are a lot of people and money riding on you!

Golden Trojan
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Golden Trojan
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October 22, 2024 6:00 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

First, travel, Penn St came to LA on Wednesday. Jet lag is real especially worse west to east. Come on Stink’n and Cohen you do have sports psychologists on staff, do you ask them. Is Stink’n a good fit for the Big10, you are paid $10 million, adapt. 7 on 7 leagues must be fun but it’s not real football. How pathetic USC!

Steveg
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Steveg
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October 22, 2024 4:49 pm
RialtoTrojan
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RialtoTrojan
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October 22, 2024 3:32 pm

I was in my Rialto Dentist’s office this morning for root canal on one my front teeth. We discussed USC football and he asked if I thought Riley would be fired. I told him it would be too expensive. We talked about the game Friday night and he asked about going. I told him the Dodgers are playing and two or three other major events including the ELO concert I am attending at the (name of current sponsor) Forum. I recommend the concert, baseball game or basketball games even going to my Dentist over going to the Coliseum on a… Read more »

RialtoTrojan
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RialtoTrojan
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October 22, 2024 3:32 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Do you think Riley cares that we’re ranked ahead of UCLA?

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
Golden Trojan
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October 22, 2024 12:44 pm

The only “leak” is coming out of Stini’n Lincoln’s brain. The guy wants to pass the ball, he can’t help himself. USC has run 491 plays, 61% are passes 39% runs. This is especially true late in a close game. His brain can’t handle game management and call the next play. His brain shorts and all he can do is call a pass. USC gets 5.2 yds per run and 6.8 yds per pass, 11 rushing TDs, 14 passing TDs, is ranked 129 in run attempts per game but 54 in yards per rushing attempt. USC has a decent run… Read more »

Jamaica
Noble Genius
Jamaica
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October 22, 2024 12:09 pm

Those “leaks” LR mentioned keep showing up game after game. And the timing of them hurts the bottom line in putting away the opponent with a two or three score lead. Line play continues to be the major problem. It again stuck its ugly head out in the open with the Maryland field goal block. You watch that play and you see the worst thing that can happen: seeing the left side of the line standing up and getting bull rushed backwards to where a Mac truck could get through to the block. Hey LR, hey Coach Hensen, stand straight… Read more »

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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October 22, 2024 11:56 am

Here’s an idea. Could Linkin be demoted to the highest paid QB coach in America? We could shuffle the cards. Offer the HC spot to Lynn or Entz & whoever takes the HC position, the other one becomes/stays the DC. Do we have anyone who could take over the play calling duties? Unless Pete Carroll might know an OC who could step-into the role. If Riley, doesn’t like it, we negotiate a smaller buy-out than if we fired him. I would expect that Linkin’s contract language would prevent this or that Little Mao Foltzie wouldn’t have the guts to do… Read more »

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