Lincoln Riley has coached three Heisman Trophy winners and as many No. 1 NFL draft picks. Riley was asked how the mental side of USC starting quarterback Miller Moss’s game compares to signal callers Riley has had in the past.

Riley answered.

“In the world of quarterbacks, he’s definitely one of the better ones in terms of his processing, his memory, his adaptability and his understanding of what all 22 are doing. That’s pretty impressive,” Riley explained.

Moss may not have the outstanding physical attributes of his predecessor, Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, but there’s more to football than just incredible physicality and a cannon arm. What often separates the good from the great is not what happens between the legs, but what happens between the ears. Like Williams, Moss has mastered the mental side of football. He’s already earned the trust of his coaches and teammates with his leadership skills, but Riley emphasized that the way the game slows down for him is what makes him special and a nightmare for opposing defenses.

“He’s a really smart kid. He can process things quickly. He understands the game. He understands not only what we’re doing or what a defense is doing, but why they’re doing it. He has the ability to process things or make adjustments quickly just because he understands the bigger picture and he’s learned a lot. He’s put in a lot of effort to do it. When we got here, you could see he’s a naturally smart guy, but he’s put in a lot of time. That’s important to him, um, very detailed, very, very mentally in tune in meetings during practice.”

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley impressed with Miller Moss’ mental game as quarterback