USC Names Starting QB at Big Ten Media Days

USC Football Coach Lincoln Riley took to the podium Thursday at Big Ten Media Days, and for followers of the Trojan program, it was a bit odd not seeing a quarterback make the trip with a coach known for his ability to develop quarterbacks who are now playing on Sundays.

While there was not a quarterback for the gathered media in Las Vegas to talk to, that didn't stop the Trojans from making the team's signal caller one of the bigger headlines of the day. Riley confirmed that Jayden Maiava will open up fall camp as the USC starting quarterback.

For those following the team on a daily basis, the news didn't come as much of a surprise. Riley gave Maiava the nod after the benching of Miller Moss. Moss has since transferred to Louisville, where he's expected to serve as the Cardinals' starting quarterback. In fact, Moss made some relatively candid remarks recently during his appearance at the ACC Media Days.

“I wanted to be surrounded by good and decent human beings that cared about the right things and cared about one another,” Moss said to the gathered media. “I think that can kind of get lost on us a lot in terms of the era of NIL and transferring and all that kind of stuff.”

While there was no direct reference to USC and the Trojan program, plenty of insinuations came from the comments.

After Moss's benching, Maiava started USC’s final four games last season, including USC's win over Nebraska. Maiava went 3-1 as a starter to end the season, which was enough for Riley to anoint him the starter for 2025. Another quarterback being considered was freshman Husan Longstreet.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule was asked about Riley and his ability to groom quarterbacks earlier in the week, and the Husker head man heaped plenty of praise Riley's way.

Woody Marks first down run — USC running back Woody Marks runs for a first down during the second half of a 28-20 Trojans win over Nebraska. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"No matter what, Lincoln's gonna find the way to utilize his talent, score points on offense," Rhule said. "Obviously, they made a big jump last year on defense. It will be a great game (in 2025). They'll be a top-25 team, and we play later in the year -- I hope it's really cold. I hope it's at night, and I hope it's really cold."

Last season, the Trojans escaped with an 8-point win over Nebraska in Los Angeles. Maiava did just enough in the game to deliver a USC win, but he did have his fair share of mistakes in the four games he started -- coming to the tune of seven turnovers over that stretch.

USC QB Jayden Maiava looks to throw against Nebraska. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"As a quarterback, a lot of times it's, yes, you want to have the great plays, but how bad are your bad plays, right?" Riley said during Thursday's press conference. "If your bad plays are incompletions or throw-aways or occasionally taking a sack, like, you can still win with that. He's got a chance to be a really, really special player."

Two other headlines that dominated USC's media day in Vegas included Riley lobbying for the induction of former USC coach and new Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll into the College Football Hall of Fame. Carroll, of course, led the team to multiple national championship runs back in the early 2000s.

Former USC Trojans head coach Pete Carroll calls a play during the fourth quarter against Cal. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Riley also reiterated the importance of USC's continued rivalry with Notre Dame. The 2025 showdown between the two teams in October is the last game of their current contract, and with the state of college football seemingly shifting by the day, there's a bit of uncertainty surrounding the rivalry continuing.

"I'm very hopeful that we play this game forever," Riley said. "When I decided to take the USC job, my first thought was, 'I get to coach in USC-Notre Dame.' The first thought."

USC vs. Notre Dame — Could the USC-Notre Dame rivalry game be coming to an end? | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC and Nebraska square off in Lincoln on Saturday, Nov. 1.

You can watch Riley's full appearance at the main podium below.

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