When tossed straight into the fire last November by Lincoln Riley, Jayden Maiava didn’t flinch and stayed on his feet. Taking over as USC’s starting quarterback meant more than just a title for Maiava; he stepped into a locker room already firm behind Miller Moss, a seasoned veteran with three years of experience. Worst part? Maiava faced a tight deadline, with just a few games remaining to prove himself as a game changer. Even WR Ja’Kobi Lane admitted his tough situation, “That’s a hard thing for anyone to do.” But despite the ups and downs of his four starts, Maiava did enough to retain his top spot on the spring depth chart that even USC assistant coach is calling dibs on him.
Look, we all know Lincoln Riley‘s Trojans had a pretty rough season last year with a 7-6 run. But now they are willing to take any chances, and that’s the reason they are going all in with the system’s old QB Jayden Maiava. And Riley made it pretty evident, “Jayden is clearly the No. 1 QB right now.” Despite having Husan Longstreet and savvy transfer Sam Huard in the mix. And even their QB coach, Luke Huard, makes his stance clear on why Jayden is a perfect choice for the starting role.
“Understanding each play, and within each concept, it’s about knowing: Where are my ditch spots? On first down, maybe it’s smart to just ditch the ball and move on to second down. It’s all part of an ongoing educational process—one that Jaden is very aware of,” Luke Huard said on the TrojanSports Rivals, talking about the areas QBs should look at. He further adds, “You don’t want to lose that aggressiveness or his playmaking instincts. But Jaden is really working on taking pride in protecting the football, just as much as he takes pride in making big plays.”
That’s more than enough to tell why Jayden Maiava is Lincoln Riley’s and the team’s first choice. Despite just playing in 4 games last season, he threw for 1,201 yards with 11 TDs and 6 interceptions and a completion rate of 59.8%. That’s a concern where the concern lies, as their game against Texas A&M showed flashes of inconsistency with all the turnovers. But then Sam Huard isn’t worried about that, as with his 8-turnover-worthy plays, he also showed excellence.
“What we’re proud of is what he showed in the bowl game. Even after some turnovers, he rallied and led two great drives at the end. That speaks to his competitiveness. And Coach Riley does a great job in-game, especially in those pressure situations, helping keep the quarterback calm. That’s a big part of why he’s so effective in those moments,” Sam said.
Even Marc Kulkin, the host of Locked on USC podcast, echoed similar feelings, just like Sam Huard. “Riley needs to get that quarterback situation settled down. We know Jayden Maiava is going to be QB1 at the beginning of the year. He’s earned it he deserves it he was the better of the two quarterbacks. Not saying who threw the most interceptions, but I guess if you had to pick one who had a better day, most would say give it to the incumbent.”
But let’s not forget there’s another playmaker also in the mix.
Lincoln Riley’s standing at tough crossroads of decision
Lincoln Riley’s quarterback legacy, built on the successes of Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and Caleb Williams, is now facing a challenge. His implicit endorsement of Jayden Maiava is raising concerns. While Riley insists “the best guy is going to play,” he also admits, “Does Jayden come in a step ahead in experience and all that compared to the other guys in the room? Of course he does.” This subtle confirmation, starting Jayden this season, sparks controversy as there’s another talented 900k player in the mix too.
However, a wrong choice could have significant repercussions. Joe DeLeone of The Ruffino and Joe Show expressed surprise at Riley’s confident assertion that Maiava is “I was stunned by how Lincoln Riley spoke so confidently and said, ‘Jayden’s clearly the number one quarterback right now.’ It motivated me to pull up some film on how Maiava played.” This prompted DeLeone to review Maiava’s game film, revealing potential weaknesses. Maiava possesses impressive physical attributes—size, athleticism, and talent—but his mastery of the finer points of quarterbacking, particularly under pressure, appears questionable. And that’s where Husan Longstreet enters.
DeLeone cited the Texas A&M bowl game as a critical indicator. “I thought that Maiava brought a different play style to the offense. They finished the year strong because Maiava was a bigger, stronger, more physical athlete than Miller Moss was… But as I was watching the Texas A&M game, I was just hoping for more… And I couldn’t help but feel anxiety the entire time I was watching him. Because he was all over the place.” That three-interception performance overshadowed his four touchdowns, revealing ongoing consistency issues.
However, the question remains: Should true freshman Husan Longstreet be thrust into the starting role? Riley seems hesitant. “I’m saying this to say—I don’t know if it should be this clear-cut [that] Jayden Maiava starts,” DeLeone noted, voicing his doubt. So, Husan is a clear-cut next option. With Riley’s job security less certain, favoring a five-star freshman over a game-tested transfer is a gamble few coaches would take.
Riley can’t afford a miss. He knows it. Look, the Caleb Williams era gave Riley a safety net, but as that fades, so does his reputation as a quarterback whisperer. If Maiava struggles, criticism of Riley will explode. But if Maiava excels? It’ll be the career resurgence Riley needs.
The post USC Assistant Coach Clears Feelings on Jayden Maiava as Lincoln Riley Receives $900k Threat for QB appeared first on EssentiallySports.