Top 3 USC college football players to watch out for ahead of 2024 season ft. Miller Moss and Jamil Muhammad
The USC Trojans are entering a new era. They will be without Caleb Williams as the starting quarterback after one of the strongest players in college football over the last few years became the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NFL draft for the Chicago Bears.
The Trojans will also no longer be playing in the PAC-12 after leaving the conference for the Big Ten. They will now face powerhouses like the Michigan Wolverines on a regular basis. For this, they must have many standout players on their roster to allow them to be competitive against these teams.
Here are three USC Trojan players to watch during the 2024 college football season.
Three USC Trojan players to keep an eye oin 2024
Jamil Muhammad, Defensive End
Jamil Muhammad began his college football career as a quarterback in the Vanderbilt program. He soon changed to a defensive position at Georgia State, where he had some success in this new position with the Panthers.
However, Muhammad fully cemented himself as a strong defensive player when he transferred to the Trojans. In his first year with USC, Muhammad made 46 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He was one of the best players on a Trojans defense that struggled last season.
Muhammad will return to the Trojans this season to continue his consistent performances and should be the team's top performer on a defense that should be different this year, led by new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn.
Miller Moss, Quarterback
Miller Moss has massive shoes to fill. Moss is likely to be the Trojans' starting quarterback this season, and his performances could be compared to his predecessor, Caleb Williams.
Moss has been with the Trojans program for the last three seasons and has spent most of this time on the sidelines. However, he did get his first official start during the recent Holiday Bowl, which Caleb Williams decided to sit out of.
During this game, Moss threw for 372 yards and six touchdowns, winning the game's MVP. This performance may give Trojan fans something to look forward to, and if he can have many games like this, it could be a successful season for USC.
Zachariah Branch, Wide Reciever
Zachariah Branch had his freshman season last year and immediately became a strong wide receiver for the future.
During 2023, Branch had 320 yards and scored two touchdowns. But he also established himself as a decent part of the return team, recording nearly 700 yards in kick and punt return years and scoring two touchdowns from these.
Coming into his sophomore year, Branch will want to bed himself in as an emerging part of the Trojans' receiving unit, becoming a key and reliable target for quarterback Miller Moss.