What is Louisville Getting in QB Miller Moss?

The Cardinals have their likely starter at quarterback for the 2025 season. So what are they getting in the former USC signal caller?

Oct 5, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program's 2024 season might still have one more game left, but we already know who is likely going to be their starting quarterback for 2025.

On Saturday, the Cardinals picked up a commitment from former USC quarterback Miller Moss. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound signal caller spent the last four seasons out west with the Trojans, and is heading into his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Starting the first nine of the 2024 season, Moss put up some good numbers in his final season for Southern Cal, completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Riding then bench for his first three seasons as a Trojan, the Los Angeles, Calif. native has completed 65.6 percent of his throws for 3,469 yards and 27 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in 21 appearances and 10 starts for his hometown team.

Of course, most Louisville fans know Moss from his breakout performance in the 2023 Holiday Bowl, where he absolutely torched the Cardinals' secondary. In what was his first start at the collegiate level, he threw for 372 yards and a bowl-record six touchdowns to only one interception.

Outside of those stat lines, what is Louisville getting in Moss? Let's break it all down:

One of the first things that stands out with Moss when watching his film from this season is his overall accuracy and touch when throwing the football, especially in the short to intermediate areas of the field. He has good anticipation for how his receivers' routes are going to unfold, and is very much the kind of quarterback that can "throw guys open."

On top of the fact that Moss has well above average accuracy, he's also not afraid to throw the ball in some tight windows. While this can be both a good and bad thing at times, when the timing works out, it's really hard to defend throws by Moss designed to move the chains. When it comes to helping keep offenses on schedule, he's also not afraid to simply dump the ball off to his check down, which is something that even Tyler Shough, for as good as he was this season for Louisville, didn't do a whole lot of.

Moss' poise on film (and from the couple USC games I actually watched in real time) certainly stands out as well. While he doesn't have a *ton* of starting experience, he certainly has the presence and overall awareness in the pocket that you expect from veteran quarterbacks. He does a very good job at navigating the pocket to avoid getting sacked, and can make throws while climbing and rolling out of the pocket.

Building off of his poise and demeanor, arguably Moss' best attribute is just his overall command of the offense and the natural on-field leadership capabilities. For instance, he helped lead two go-ahead drives in the final few minutes of their opener against LSU, and even in his final game with the Trojans at Washington, twice he helped put them in position to try and get a game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that Moss was benched for the final three games of USC's season. While some of this was due to factors outside of his control (more on that in bit), there are a couple drawbacks/areas to work on with Moss' game.

For starters, while he's not a pipsqueak, at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, he's not quite the size you would want out of a pocket passer - which is very much what Moss is. He can use his legs to extend plays and get throws off, but he's not the kind of quarterback that will outright make plays with his legs. He can occasionally scramble for first downs, but that usually only when the defense completely takes the bait on read options.

When it comes to his actual arm strength, Moss is good but maybe not great in this department. He does have the capabilities to stretch the ball vertically, and is actually very good on fades and outside shoulder throws up the sidelines, but he doesn't have the snappiness that someone like Tyler Shough does. His windup is a tick longer than you'd like, and he does have to put a bit of an extra emphasis on planting his back foot to make deep shots. While he very much can hit passes of 20, 30 and 40-plus yards downfield, it's not with a simple flick of the wrist.

Moss actually does a solid job overall of reading coverages post snap, but that being said, he has been shown to be susceptible at times to either exotic coverages, or be baited by veteran linebackers and defensive backs. Combine this with his willingness to try and get ball into tight windows, while he is successful most of the time in doing so, it can also be a gamble depending on the coverage and personnel.

Additionally, his mechanics do have a slight tendency to break down when facing pressure. Either his arm slot will come in at a funky angle and produce a bit of a low throw, or he'll throw the ball with an base that is way more off balance than it needs to be.

Arguably the biggest criticism of Moss is the fact that he wasn't all-world this season despite playing in a Lincoln Riley system that has produced not one, not two, but three Heisman Trophy winners. That might have something to do with the fact that Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams all have some sort of rushing capabilities, but still.

That being said, something to note is that USC's offensive line was flat out putrid this season. The Trojans' pass block grade on Pro Football Focus was just 54.5, which ranked 118th in the FBS and the seventh-worst in the power four. He was pressured a whopping 105 times in just nine games, being one of three power conference quarterbacks to be pressured over 100 times in less than ten games (Virginia Tech's Kyron Drones, Miss. State's Michael Van Buren).

With a line in 2025 that should be much better than was USC's was this season, Moss, in theory, should be a lot more comfortable and confident in this system. Especially considering that because of his pocket awareness, just 8.6 percent of his pressures turned into sacks. Of the 55 power conference quarterbacks with at least 300 drop backs, that mark was second only to K-State's Avery Johnson.

Is Moss a can't-miss quarterback transfer? While he is one of the better quarterbacks to hit the portal, there's certainly some things he can improve on. That being said, he demonstrates the leadership qualities and fearlessness that is oddly similar to Brohm in his own playing days, and possesses a variety of both mental and physical intangibles that you want in a quarterback - even if some of said intangibles aren't at an elite level - yet.

Bottom line: while Miller Moss does have a high floor, Jeff Brohm and his coaching staff will fully determine what his ceiling can be. Considering what Brohm was able to do for Jack Plummer and Tyler Shough, it's hard to envision a situation where Brohm and Co. don't unlock Moss' full potential as a prolific passer - or at least come close to it.

(Photo of Miller Moss: Matt Krohn - Imagn Images)

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