Jayden Maiava Given Clear Ultimatum as 5-Star Husan Longstreet Takes Next Step at USC

“We’re not content with any part of this program being average or even being good. That’s not our mentality,” Lincoln Riley’s blunt statement was enough to gauge the roaring fire, burning bright at the Trojans’ roster. After a disappointing 2024 record, 7-6, Riley is facing another set of problems. His $90 million buyout has already made headlines, so can this season be his redemption, or will the QB1 turn out to be his Achilles heel?

After Miller Moss departed for the pro league, Jayden Maiava took the reins as the starting quarterback. He had his moments on the turf. He led the roster to a 3-1 record last year. In those four starts, he threw for 1,201 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. But there’s another QB rising up, and the coaches are taking note. So, who’s that seasoned quarterback who has grabbed the attention? Not an experienced one, he is the rookie Husan Longstreet.

“I did hear some things some great things about Husan Longstreet,” USCJ Lost in the Sauce Podcast reflected on. “I think he looked good. I think he’s grasping. You know, when you make that switch from spring to fall, you can gain a lot as far as just knowledge of the game, knowledge of the speed, a feel for the game.” The takeaway? He has sharpened his tools and is already making an impression on the roster. Fall camp saw to that. “Husan Longstreet absolutely moved and grew in the right direction,” he added. Yeah, the fall camp saw his merit. After Jayden Maiava, Longstreet looks like a promising candidate. But there is an ultimatum addressed to our QB1.

Going into the 2025 season, Maiava promised the Trojan Nation “a lot of touchdowns,” and the USCJ host has his opinions. “But I think Jayden Maiava, I think he’s going to be that still be that guy, provided I’ve been saying for a long time. We got to get the Jayden Maiava we seen in the second half of Texas A&M. Don’t forget I said that. And we got to get the same Jayden Maiava that we seen for most of the Notre Dame game minus the last three minutes of that game.”

Reeling back to the last season, out of the six losses, five of them were close calls. Yeah, those wrinkles came in the last minute. The Trojans led in the fourth quarter, but near-end minute wrinkles proved deadly. And one such game was against the Fighting Irish. Jayden Maiava threw six interceptions, out of which two got returned for touchdowns. A loss of Riley, 35-49. Meanwhile, the Aggies were a different story. “But for the most part that Notre Dame game, you seen flashes even with the Texas A&M game, you just seen flashes that he could really be that guy. But we just got to have him make the right decisions in order for this thing to work,” the USCJ host continued. Maiava drove USC 75 yards in 10 plays, overcoming a 17-point deficit, culminating in the Trojans’ victory, 35-31.

So yes, his major criticism? Inconsistent performance. While Jayden Maiava shoulders Riley’s offense this season, Husan is stepping up fast.

Husan Longstreet earns the nod

The freshman debut is usually a backup role unless you are as prized as Bryce Underwood. But at Lincoln, freshman Husan Longstreet is quietly stepping up for the big splash. A former five-star recruit, he ranked No. 4 as a quarterback in the 2025 class, the same class as Bryce. After recording an impressive 4,724 yards back in high school, which saw his team to the Southern Section Division 2 runner-up spot, Longstreet seems ready to claim the turf at Los Angeles.

Quarterbacks coach Luke Huard sees the brimming potential in the 6’1, 195-pound QB. The fall camp saw to that. He said, “The way that he’s attacked these first five practices has been awesome; he’s shown just a really good ability to overcome some adverse situations, play through some tough plays, and bounce right back and go out there and respond and execute.”

Didn’t his high school coach, Matt Logan, promise the same? “He’s got incredible arm strength,” he said of Longstreet, who tallied 4,724 yards in his high school career. Last year, he fired a ball 78 yards to win the long ball competition at the Polynesian Bowl, grabbing eyeballs. Longstreet was part of the bowl practice last December, so when the spring drills rolled on, he had the momentum going. And it’s not just his arm strength that is making him a favorite in Los Angeles; his communication skills with the team are also appealing to the coaches.

“Because obviously, as a quarterback, it’s our job to number one relay the play to the offense and make sure those guys feel our confidence, and I feel like he’s really, really taken some giant steps in that direction,” Huard added. So, yeah, the fall camp earned him the nod, and don’t be surprised if he emerges as the QB1 backup if Jayden Maiava sustains an injury. He’s got the coaches’ backing now; let’s see how he capitalizes on that.

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