USC is filling the void left by Caleb Williams the old-fashioned way.
Lincoln Riley's Trojans have the resources and brand recognition to go out and land just about any quarterback they want in the transfer portal. But instead of looking outside the program for Williams' replacement, they decided to stick with what they already had and give Miller Moss a chance.
The opportunity might not have come along at all if not for the Holiday Bowl.
Moss lit up Louisville for six touchdowns in USC's bowl game last December, stepping in after Williams' decision to opt-out and making the most of it.
Here's what you need to know about Moss and his background as he faces LSU in the Trojans' season-opener.
MORE: Why Brian Kelly is excited about LSU's chances against USC
Who is Miller Moss?
Moss is a redshirt junior who joined USC when Clay Helton was still the Trojans' head coach. In an era of unprecedented quarterback movement, Moss not only outlasted Helton but stuck around despite Williams transferring in.
Moss waited his turn, one that might not have come if he didn't perform in the Holiday Bowl. USC still sees itself as one of college football's premier programs, and Riley likely wasn't going to enter 2024 with serious uncertainty at the quarterback position.
With one game to show his stuff, Moss took advantage of the opportunity, tossing six touchdowns in a 42-28 win over Louisville. He went 23-of-33 for 372 yards and one interception in addition to the barrage of touchdowns; he entered the game with only three touchdown passes in his college career.
Rather than make a major addition from the transfer portal, USC's big quarterback acquisition was UNLV's Jayden Maiava — a player who showed promise in year one with the Rebels but is not an immediate threat to Moss' status as the starter.
Riley confirmed on Aug. 19 that Moss would enter the season as USC's starter, while Maiava is set to back him up in the Trojans' season-opener against LSU.
Miller Moss high school
Moss is a local product, as he spent his high school days at Bishop Alemany High School in Los Angeles. That's likely one reason Moss never bolted from USC despite sitting for three years.
Moss was the No. 15 quarterback and No. 112 overall player in the class of 2021, according to 247 Sports.
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Miller Moss stats
| Season | School | Completion pct. | Yards | TD | INT |
| 2021 | USC | 61.5% | 74 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | USC | 85.4% | 159 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | USC | 70.8% | 681 | 7 | 1 |
| Career | 71.7% | 914 | 9 | 1 |
Moving forward with Moss in year one in the Big Ten is still a risk for USC. Why? He hasn't even thrown 100 passes in his college career. That's a huge contrast with fellow new arrivals Oregon and UCLA, who are starting quarterbacks that have each thrown more than 1,600 passes in their collegiate careers.
Moss will be asked to face some tough defenses in the Big Ten, which makes the Trojans' season tough to predict. Still, it will be hard for neutral fans not to root for a quarterback who defied every modern-day trend by sticking it out and waiting for his shot.