USC quarterback Miller Moss is entering the NCAA transfer portal, he told ESPN in a phone interview.

Moss has one year of eligibility remaining after playing in 10 games during his time at USC, which began in the spring of 2021. He said he informed USC staff of his decision.

“I really enjoyed my time at USC,” Moss told ESPN. “It has changed my life as a whole and my childhood in recent years. I am grateful. I gave this program everything I had.”

“There comes a point where it is time to move on to new opportunities and I hope to improve as a person and player.”

In his career at USC, Moss threw for 3,469 yards and 27 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. Moss threw for 2,555 yards and 18 touchdowns this season for USC, where he started nine games before being replaced as the starter.

There is expected to be a strong market for the 22-year-old Moss, who brings the combination of age, experience and performance that is widely coveted in the NCAA transfer portal. Moss threw for 378 yards against LSU, threw three touchdowns against Michigan, Wisconsin and Maryland and also ran for two touchdowns.

Moss said his next step will be to look for a school that can compete for a conference championship and win “at the highest level.” He also wants a program that can ultimately help him develop to the next level.

He said he looks forward to discussing systems with different coaching staffs.

“I think that’s something I’m excited about in terms of the process,” he said. “The opportunity to immerse myself in different systems with different coaches and locations and see what I gravitate towards in the process.”

Moss emphasized the positive experiences he had at USC, including earning a bachelor’s degree in law, history and culture with a minor in corporate finance.

He said his emotions upon leaving were more excitement than nerves, as he was curious to see what the college football experience was like somewhere other than USC.

“It’s definitely exciting,” he said. “The biggest thing about leaving USC is that I will miss my teammates and the relationships I built there. The hardest part about leaving USC is that I have great relationships.”

He expects the transfer process to move quickly and said he doesn’t have a timetable in mind. He’s looking forward to a year of football immersion, which often comes with a graduate transfer year.

Moss said he thinks watching the last three weeks from the sidelines will provide motivation going forward.

“I have so many positive memories of USC,” he said. “And these are not going away because the last three weeks have been hard. But these three weeks don’t disappear either.”

“We are all shaped or jaded by our experiences, whether they are positive or negative. This is something I will carry with me.”

When asked what he would say to a future team, Moss said: “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for the guys in the locker room and the guys I compete with. I hesitate to sell myself, but I have full confidence as a player and leader.