Some might’ve expected Moss to transfer to a different school where he could’ve started as its quarterback right away instead of backing up Caleb Williams. But Moss sees the transfer portal less as a conduit to play and more as a mechanism that confuses team rosters and redistributes team camaraderie and morale. From his vantage point and experience, the choice to grit it out on the bench for three years was about investing in the team and community he had committed to — and in himself.
“I have my community. I have my school pride. I have my sense of self,” he said. “If you look at the teams that win, it’s the teams that really come together.”
Investing in your community is a lot harder when external noise pressures you to do otherwise. Moss trained himself to ignore outside voices, whether they be media or aunts and uncles who had suggestions of how he should play his hand. Moss’ heart wasn’t in leaving though, partially because he knew the grass isn’t always greener.
Growing up, Moss was the best athlete in his neighborhood, but as he began to travel and meet players all over the country, he quickly realized there were others who were better than him. Instead of proving himself by continuing to dominate competitors in his immediate locale, he worked on sharpening the skills unique to his ability and on building up an unstoppable work ethic.
“Football teaches you from an early age how to navigate difficult situations,” he said. “I had a tough freshman year. It’s easy to talk about it now, but I had to live those days and keeping coming in every day, working my butt off — staying after practice lifting, watching tape, doing things no one ever saw or would know about — and having faith it would pay dividends down the line.”
This is not unlike the career of an entrepreneur, and Moss knows there are multiple lessons he’s learned on the field that will propel him in the world of business. Among them is the lesson of patience.
“If you’re chasing something and you’re principled, stick to those principles,” he said. “At least you have conviction and know who you are, regardless of the outcome.”
In the future, Moss hopes he can give back to communities such as Compton and Carson, where he forged positive friendships and gained incredible mentors playing youth sports.
For now, he’s focusing on his immediate communities. He said, “I love my new classes. My cohort has been great, as well. I will always have a ton of love in my heart for USC and everything that it offers. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it.”
As for spring training and fall prospects to start as QB1, Moss said, “I’m really excited. The guys are working hard and really trying to emphasize that cohesion in the locker room. I’m looking forward to a great season.”