Former USC quarterback Miller Moss, now a signal-caller at Louisville, hosts a youth football camp at Beverly Hills to give back to the fire-ravaged Palisades community.
Miller Moss reared back and fired. The 23-year-old’s short and zippy receivers in oversized red jerseys leaped to grab the ball.
In the sea of red, one player emerged with the ball, lifting his arm in celebration. The scene was familiar, Moss throwing a touchdown pass in Los Angeles to a teammate donning his home colors — and celebrating in the end zone.
Yet, on Saturday morning at Beverly Hills High School, the celebrating player was a boy — not even half the size of the 6-foot-2 signal-caller — and the cause was bigger: the now-Louisville quarterback hosting a youth football camp for girls and boys to benefit Palisades fire relief efforts.
For Moss, the last year was far from what he expected.
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In November during his fourth season at USC, Moss lost his starting quarterback role to Jayden Maiava after nine games, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Then, in January, as he prepared a move to Kentucky to finish out his collegiate career away from home, the wildfires ravaged the Palisades. His childhood home burned to the ground, leaving just a basketball court he had often played on for hours in its destructive wake.
Moss knew he had to do something for his community. Even if he was hurting from the impacts on his family, Moss still wanted to help others.
“This camp has kind of a personal note for me just in terms of being from the Palisades, having a ton of friends and family from that area,” said Moss, who made passes to 35 campers in drills Saturday. “I think any way that you can exercise your platform to do good and to help the community, especially when it has that personal note, is always a positive.”
Garrett Pomerantz, USC outside linebacker and Moss’ former roommate, remembered visiting his friend and his family while they were cooped up at a hotel after the Palisades fire.
Pomerantz said it was the first time he saw Moss depressed and needing emotional support. He said Moss isn’t one to dwell in the details, adding that he’s not surprised by his willingness to step up for his community.
“That’s just Miller in a nutshell, like he's always trying to help others,” said Pomerantz, one of the many volunteers at Moss' youth football camp. “He worries about others, worries about us as roommates and makes sure we're always doing good. Whenever you need someone to talk to, he's the guy you'd want to talk to.”
On Wednesday, Moss put on a silver tuxedo and took part in Atlantic Coast Conference media days in Charlotte, N.C., to discuss his move from USC to Louisville for his final year of collegiate eligibility.
While Moss said he was grateful to play at USC, he said he’s drawing from positives as he meshes with a new team and works with Louisville coach Jeff Brohm and his staff. Louisville finished 9-4 last season.
“I hadn't been in that situation, probably since I was 18-years-old,” Moss said about the adjustment period being a transfer quarterback. “I give the team, the locker room, a ton of credit in terms of just welcoming me with open arms and making me feel like I was at home.”
On how he’s adjusting to Brohm and the coaching staff: “He's been phenomenal. His dedication, not only to being the best coach he can be, but to be able to invest in relationships with his players is really unique. He's a genuinely good human being that cares about the development of us and cares about having a relationship outside of merely the one that's player-coach based.”
Moss said that no matter where he’s playing, Southern California is always going to be his home. He was happy to return from ACC introduction and give back to his community.
Michelle Bellamy, a single mother whose condo burned down in the Palisades fire, said she came with her young son as a relaxed introduction to playing football — inspired by the connection shared with Moss and the community.
“It's really kind and shows what character he has to put this together for these kids that were also affected by the fires and kids that weren't affected by the fires,” Bellamy said. “It doesn't surprise me that he has that character, because he comes from a community that cares about one another.”
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As numerous members of Moss’ family watched on, the camaraderie after the Palisades fire was on full display at Beverly Hills high six months later.
Emily Kovner Moss, Miller’s mom, said it’s hard to know what drives people’s character until you’re placed in moments to act. While she and her family grieved over the loss of their home and community, Miller’s reaction was immediate.
Like Saturday, playing with the kids — whose families drove in from as far away as Ontario — Moss' first thought was to help.
“I’m just incredibly proud that he is who I always hoped he would be,” Kovner Moss said.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Category: General Sports
