Lincoln Riley Makes Stance Crystal Clear on Jayden Maiava Before USC’s 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated May 23, 2025 6:26 PM ET

In the final stretch of the USC Trojans' 2024 season, quarterback Jayden Maiava performed well in four starts. In that stint, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound signal-caller delivered three wins, and USC's lone loss was a 49-35 defeat at the hands of Notre Dame, a team that went all the way to the College Football Playoff championship game.

In that contest, Maiava passed for 360 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran in two scores, meaning he was attached to every point scored by the Trojans in that game.

The upcoming 2025 season will require a lot from Maiava and his head coach, Lincoln Riley. The 41-year-old coach is entering his fourth season with USC, and the Trojans managed just seven wins a year ago.

Riley appeared on Greg McElroy's "Always College Football" podcast and discussed his expectations of Maiava.

"We were excited about how he played (last year), given his experience in our system. ... We were 3-1 in the games he played. He gave us a great chance to beat Notre Dame with the way that he played in that game. ... His good is so good. Some of the throws that he makes, it shows how decisive he is as a player."

Maiava, a former three-star recruit according to 247Sports joined the Trojans last year after one season with the UNLV Rebels. He picked UNLV over an offer from Louisville.

Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Maiava will lead a productive Trojans offense that should have no issues passing the ball to a talented group of pass-catchers, led by wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane.

USC needs its defense to compete higher in the Big Ten to take a step forward this season. The Trojans added a big piece to their defense via the transfer portal with the addition of safety Kennedy Urlacher, son of Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher.

The Trojans have several high-profile games upcoming later this year with matchups against Illinois, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oregon.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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