USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss is following in the footsteps of the giants of the sport. Without delving into the entire history of USC quarterbacks, the player he replaces, Caleb Williams, Heisman Trophy winner and number one NFL draft pick, fits the bill. It's hard enough being a starter in your first year, but it's even harder replacing a towering talent who took the nation by storm and instilled a fan base with hope that they could win every game played.

Here's a reality check for the USC faithful: USC was 18-8 during Caleb Williams' tenure. As transcendent as he was individually, it was often not good enough. Sure, it got them a few ball games along the way. Still, the overall offensive talent was deeper and more experienced than USC's current offensive structure, particularly along the offensive line. Quarterback play alone isn't enough to get where this team and its supporters expect.

“You know, the people on our team look for a lot of negativity, and it is, and I hope they keep that energy going forward,” Moss responded to a question from USC writer Antonio Morales after Monday's practice The Athletic on what this difficult time has taught him.

USC has lost three games in a row. Still, Miller Moss is No. 12 nationally and No. 3 in the Big Ten in passing yards. With 14 passing touchdowns, he is tied with other notable names like Jaxson Dart, Will Howard and Avery Johnson and also has a touchdown run. Moss also ranks 14th in passing yards per game and is completing 64% of his passes. By all accounts, this is the winning quarterback play. Moss isn't Williams, but there's only one of them, and those kinds of players don't come along often, if ever.

“I think we had really good periods where you can see how elite we can be. But I don't think we've put together four quarters… where we were at our best operationally.” “We're at our most efficient,” Moss said of the consistency.

Moss' assessment is fair both individually and from a macro perspective for the entire team. Moss missed a crucial throw here and there. There were premature interception attempts. These games are important and have an impact. But the other end of the spectrum also applies. He's been hit almost as often as any quarterback in college football. He was under pressure compared to the most pressured quarterbacks in the country. He also has an efficient running game that could be very complementary but is underutilized, putting more strain on the offensive line in pass defense than Moss in return.

Still, they throw the ball at the fastest rate in Lincoln Riley coaching history. If Moss isn't the athlete, Williams and others before him were under Riley, and if the offensive line is young, injured and inexperienced, then why does USC throw the ball more often than any of Lincoln Riley's other teams? Especially with such a solid running game and the lead in the second half, that doesn't make much sense.

Moss delivered moments like trying to win the game against LSU. After a pick-six at Michigan, he responded and threw the go-ahead touchdown to score 14 unanswered points. Against Wisconsin, he had a huge second-half performance to help the team rally from a double-digit deficit. These moments are also important. There were three separate occasions where the USC defense had a chance to essentially end ballgames with a lead but failed to do so. Will quarterback play be discussed if they are successful on these drives?

Moss was more insightful and detailed, but the end of this quote is the takeaway. That is the focus. Moss has full confidence in himself and his teammates, as he should. Focusing on the outside will not help USC win ballgames. And if fans aren't happy with the quality of quarterback play that has consistently put the team in a position to win and has won games with those efforts, that's on them.

Why would Moss capitulate and give a boilerplate response to appease the masses? Even that wouldn't be enough for most people. Moss still exudes the inner belief of a player who was willing to wait his turn and develop, and he played well enough to feel that way.

“Right now it's kind of a trick for you because people who look at the tape and see how we played and how we progressed tell you one thing, and then when you look at the record it tells you that something different,” Lincoln Riley said Monday.

That is the truth in this case. Moss isn't perfect, but he's a damn solid quarterback who has given this team a chance to win every game and has consistently responded to adversity. There is no magic wand you can wave. USC loses ballgames as a collective. They haven't played a top-down four-quarter game yet. Miller Moss may not be the solution to this desperate situation as a whole, but he is not the problem.