Inside The Huskies

Sam Huard Resurfaces at USC, Where His Uncle Is QB Coach

Luke Huard has been with the Trojans staff for three seasons.

Dan Raley

Sam Huard has committed to play for USC.
Sam Huard has committed to play for USC. / USC

Former University of Washington quarterback Sam Huard has committed to USC out of the transfer portal, according to 247Sports, and people can chalk this personnel connection up to insider knowledge.

This second-generation Huard will answer directly to Trojans quarterback coach Luke Huard -- his uncle.

It has been two years since the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Huard, a one-time 5-star recruit, grew weary of playing behind Michael Penix Jr. with the Huskies and ventured off to see when and where he could get his career back on track.

He spent the 2023 season as the starter for Cal Poly in the Big Sky Conference and joined Utah this past season, though not appearing in any games and having his season end with an unspecified injury.

Huard, the son and nephew of former UW and NFL quarterbacks Damon and Brock Huard, respectively, has two seasons of eligibility remaining, the second coming from a medical redshirt for his time spent at Utah.

He'll compete primarily with returning starter Jayden Maiava, who replaced Miller Moss at midseason, forcing the latter to transfer to Louisville for the upcoming season, and freshman Husan Longstreet.

The left-handed Huard would still seem to have the potential to be a highly successful college quarterback if he can just find the right program fit.

What more could he ask than to have his uncle Luke as his position coach?

The youngest of three quarterback brothers, Luke Huard has been coaching at USC for three seasons, but only this past one in directing the fortunes of the Trojans quarterbacks.

He could be the ideal mentor for young Sam, and not just because they're related. While his brothers were instant successes at the UW and took their talents to the NFL, Luke Huard turned to North Carolina to get out from under their considerable shadows and played the 1999 season for the Tar Heels, starting 7 games, before turning to coaching. So he understands the struggle and should be helpful in getting Sam untracked.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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