Three Questions Surrounding USC Trojans Quarterback Jayden Maiava

Gone are four of USC’s five leading receivers from a year ago. Sophomore receiver Tanook Hines is the only returning player that has caught more than three passes from Maiava. 

Transfer receiver Terrell Anderson had a breakout season for NC State in 2025 and was the Trojans lone addition at receiver in the portal. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Luke Huard raved about Anderson’s seamless transition into the Trojans offense this spring. 

Four-stars Trent Mosley, Boobie Feaster and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt headline the Trojans impressive group of freshman receivers and will undoubtedly have a role in the offense this fall. Mosley and Dixon-Wyatt were on campus this spring, while Feaster, who recently celebrated his 17th birthday, arrived on May 21. However, Feaster was at USC on three separate occasions this spring and has praised Maiava’s leadership from the time they spent together. Inside receivers/ tight ends coach Chad Savage also spoke about Maiava’s leadership in the spring.

“A true leader investing the time to develop that chemistry with some of those skilled players," Savage said. "He's a guy that's been in the offense for multiple years, so he knows how coach Riley thinks, how coach Riley calls the games. He has a good understanding of our scheme, run game and pass game, so he does a good job of putting his arm around guys and just developing that chemistry.”

Five-star freshman Mark Bowman leads a revamped tight end room that also features redshirt freshman Nela Tupou, who caught two passes from Maiava in the bowl game, Wisconsin transfer Tucker Ashcraft and Josiah Jefferson, the No. 1 JUCO tight end, this past cycle. 

The Trojans do have two things that will help their pass game early in the season: an offensive line that returns all five starters and a room that has incredible depth, as well as its two leading rushers from last season in King Miller and Waymond Jordan. 

Will Jayden Maiava’s Play on the Road Improve? 

USC lost all four of its games in 2025 away from the Coliseum as Maiava’s play dipped in those matchups. He threw two interceptions on the road against Notre Dame, Oregon and in the bowl game against TCU. 

Maiava’s worst performance came at Nebraska when he was 9-of-23 for 135 yards and an interception. He was effective using his legs, but Maiava needs to be more consistent, especially in hostile road environments if Southern Cal is going to make a run at the College Football Playoff.

The Trojans will be tested on the road once again in 2026. How does Maiava handle the teams first cross-country trip in week 3 to Rutgers? Southern Cal is also very likely to be “White Out” game for Penn State on Oct. 10, a hostile environment of over 105,000 fans. 

USC travels to Camp Randall on Oct. 24 to face Wisconsin and Bloomington to square off against Indiana, the defending national champions, on Nov. 14. Every one of those games presents its own challenges from weather, travel distance or a hostile road environment. 

The Trojans already have tough home games against Oregon, Washington and Ohio State this season. They cannot afford to stumble on the road and Maiava’s play in those games will be big determining factors. 

Can Jayden Maiava Continue to Eliminate Turnovers? 

As mentioned earlier, Maiava has to significantly reduce his turnovers. 

Eliminating turnovers had been a point of emphasis last offseason. And through the first four and a half games of the 2025 season, Maiava was turnover free. However, after throwing an interception in the third quarter against Illinois in week five, Maiava proceeded to throw an interception in each of the next four games. The Trojans were 6-0 in games last season were he didn’t throw an interception. 

As Maiava enters his fifth season, there isn’t much the Trojans quarterback hasn’t seen at the collegiate level as far as coverages or even talent. It's all about Maiava improving his decision making and not trying to force throws that aren't there. If he does that, USC could have an offense that is very hard to slow down in 2026.

Maiava has been operating with urgency this calendar year, understanding this is his last chance to make an impression in front NFL personnel in what figures to be one of the most talented quarterback classes in recent memory.