USC quarterback Miller Moss announced his intention to enter the transfer portal earlier this week. Moss has one remaining year of eligibility after starting 10 games at USC, which began in the spring of 2021. The soon-to-be former Trojan threw for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, starting nine games before being replaced by Jayden Maiava as the starter.
Moss should garner consideration from various championship-contending teams in the portal. The 22-year-old quarterback offers a much-appreciated combination of experience, age, and production. Those traits are often coveted by programs searching for QB help.
Moss will begin weighing his options immediately. We've identified three potential landing spots for the quarterback via the portal.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame has entered the portal for several consecutive seasons for better quarterback play. This year, they plucked Riley Leonard away from Duke. Leonard has completed 66.2% of his passing attempts for 2,092 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Fairhope, Alabama native has already accepted an invite to participate in this year's Senior Bowl.
In 2023, the Fighting Irish welcomed Sam Hartman to the program via the portal. Hartman also strung together a quality season and is currently with the Washington Commanders' practice squad. Head coach Marcus Freeman is a strong leader and understands how to convince quarterbacks to join his ascending team.
Louisville
Louisville has swiftly emerged as a potential landing spot, according to various reports. It's easy to understand why. Cardinals head coach Jeff Brohm is an offensive-minded leader with a decorated resume. Last season, he lured Jack Plummer via the portal and fielded an explosive offense. This year, quarterback Tyler Shough joined the program from Texas Tech. Shough ranks third in the ACC in passing yards this season with 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns. He's a seventh-year senior who had previously failed to put it together.
Shough will be departing and Brohm may feel tempted to re-enter the portal for an experienced quarterback after that process worked so seamlessly for him these past two campaigns. Moss, looking for the right fit, could identify Brohm as the ideal coach to aid him in his development. Louisville qualifies as a strong potential destination.
Michigan
Michigan's 2024 campaign has been largely derailed by poor quarterback play. Three signal-callers have attempted passes for the program this season. First-year head coach Sherrone Moore didn't manage to find the right quarterback to fully unlock Kirk Campbell's offense, despite this past weekend's rivalry win over Ohio State delivering pure euphoria.
The Wolverines recently made a substantial investment to flip No. 1 overall quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood from LSU. Will Moore feel that Underwood is ready to contribute right away, or will he prioritize pursuing a more experienced quarterback like Moss via the portal? With Underwood coming in, it's fair to assume that several of their underperforming quarterbacks, Davis Warren included, will hit the portal themselves. If Michigan offers Moss an opportunity to start in 2025, he could have a hard time rejecting their advances.
