2024 Miami Prospect Profile: QB Luke Moga
For the class of 2024, Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and his coaching staff have been scouring the country for at least one quarterback recruit.
The Canes might sign a quarterback from out West.
Luke Moga has earned the right to be considered one of the more unique quarterbacks for this recruiting cycle. Here’s a look at the 6-foot-2 and 200-pound quarterback’s abilities.
Playing for Phoenix (Ariz.) Sunnyslope, the first thing to note about Moga would be his lack of fear. This young signal caller will throw the football down the field and provide his intended target a chance to make a play.
As the saying goes, no guts, no glory.
A gunslinger, Moga will remind one of former quarterbacks that played at Texas Tech like Seth Doege (started in 2011 and 2012 with 8,209 yards passing and 67 touchdowns during those two seasons) and Texas Tech/Oklahoma signal caller Baker Mayfield (career totals of 14,607 yards, 131 passing touchdowns, and 1,083 rushing yards and another 21 touchdowns).
Like Doege and Mayfield, Moga threw into many tight spaces; all three players should be considered risk takers. There will be some interceptions but also downfield strikes that lead to touchdowns. He did not have the same talent as say Chandler High School, one of the local dominant programs, but he found ways to maximize his situation.
In 2022, Moga threw for 2,258 yards, 26 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His completion percentage was only 47.3%, but the number of drops played into those numbers, and he needed to take chances to score.
Moga did what he could to make the offense go. It was not always enough for a team that finished 6-5, especially when considering the Sunnyslope defense that gave up 30 or more points six times. That’s also what added to him being an intriguing prospect.
He was a never-say-die type of player. Hit the gas and let’s go!
From a technical standpoint, there’s much to work with for the college coaching staff that signs him.
Moga knew when to take something off a pass or throw a heater. That point alone showed that Moga has already begun to understand the nuances of being a college quarterback. He’s also a natural passer.
Watching his throwing motion from the pocket, Moga provided a quick release. It’s predominantly an over-the-top throwing motion that a fan would see at most college football games.
Additionally, he takes his drops quickly and continues to scan the football field while moving away from center. He’s been trained well to this point. There's also an additional area that he played much like Mayfield.
Luke Moga's natural throwing motion and overall athleticism have made him a threat to make plays on the edge of the defense.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
When moving to the perimeter, that’s when Moga was often at his best as he ran past defenders that appeared to have the angle. He has shown a special ability to create when there otherwise was not an opportunity to pick up yardage.
He must be accounted for, pre-snap, in the run game. That has applied additional pressure on defensive coordinators. Moga rushed for 539 yards and 5 touchdowns last season.
Moga would zig and zag his way down the field – often changing speeds as well – to avoid tacklers and gain extra yards. All of Moga’s attributes and experiences lead to the following question.
How good can this young quarterback be in time?
Afterall, that’s always been the bottom line with recruiting. It’s not what a player has done to date, but what the player could become at the FBS level.
The way Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson recently discussed that there’s no true air raid any longer – offenses adapt accordingly to the talent on the roster – leads to a path for quarterbacks like Moga to be successful at the Power 5 level.
Could he one day be the starter for the Canes? Absolutely. The physical and mental tools have shown to be present and Miami already offered Moga.
Moga has also garnered scholarship overtures from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Utah, Oregon, Oregon State, TCU, Oklahoma State, North Carolina State, Virginia, Boston College, UCF, Purdue, Northwestern, Kansas, Cincinnati, and Syracuse.
As the Hurricanes continue to evaluate 2024 quarterbacks, remember the name Moga. He’s one gunslinger to watch. He visited on Jan. 26 and was offered on Jan. 23.
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