USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley Gives Injury Update For Quarterback Jayden Maiava

“I think his understanding of the offense - he’s continuing to get better,” Riley said. “Physically, he came in with a little bit of a knee issue last year, and that’s all cleared up, so he’s been able to really train. I think he’s going to move around better for us this year. But if we can trim a few of those decisions off, which I certainly believe that we can, this guy’s got a chance to be elite.”

Maiava transferred to USC in 2024 after spending the 2023 season with UNLV. Maiava played well in 2023, finishing with 3,085 passing yards and 17 touchdowns, but Riley and the Trojans chose to go with quarterback Miller Moss to start in 2024. 

Maiava’s first start for USC was against Nebraska on Nov. 16 as the team was coming off their bye. Maiava finished the 2024 season with 1,201 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He only had 45 rushing yards, but four rushing touchdowns. With Maiava fully healthy, he will likely utilize his legs more and open up the offense for the Trojans.

“We were excited about how he played. Given his inexperience in our system, and kind of coming in that type of situation is not always the easiest,” Riley said. “And I thought he handled it really well. I mean, we went 3-1 in the games that he played, and he gave us a great chance to beat Notre Dame with the way he played in that game. His good is so good, I mean, some of the throws that this guy makes, how decisive he is as a player.”

Riley is known to be one of the top coaches in college football when it comes to quarterbacks. He has coached three Heisman Trophy winners, including former USC quarterback Caleb Williams , as well as Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield. Though not a Heisman winner, Riley also coached reigning Super Bowl champion quarterback Jalen Hurts.

With a healthy and now more experienced Maiava, Riley and the Trojans are looking to have a much more explosive offense and improve on their 7-6 2024 record. Riley discussed with McElroy what he expects Maiava to improve on ahead of the 2025 season.

“I think the big goal for us is trimming some of the fat off this. Can you take the good, certainly try to enhance that, but then can you take some of the negative plays or some of the forced throws, and can you remove those from his game? Because he’s really grown,” Riley said.

If all goes to plan, Riley and the Trojans have their quarterback situation figured out for the next several years. Following Maiava, the Trojans will have five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet from the class of 2025 and then 2026 four-star commit Jonas Williams.

The USC Trojans will kick off the regular season on Aug. 30 against the Missouri State Bears. Maiava is set to be the week one starter, looking to improve from last season and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. 

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