Why Jayden Maiava Might Be Better Fit Than Caleb Williams For USC's Lincoln Riley

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava’s first full season as USC's starter is off to a blistering start. With over 1,200 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and zero turnovers through four games, the junior quarterback has the Trojans rolling offensively—and sparking comparisons USC legend and Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Trojans are climbing again. After a week 4 win over Michigan State pushed USC up four spots to No. 21 in the AP Top 25 Poll, the national conversation quickly turned to the man making it all possible: quarterback Jayden Maiava.

On3 analyst Josh Pate didn’t hold back in his reaction to USC’s rise. On "The Josh Pate Show," Pate went so far as to compare Maiava’s early-season play to that of former USC Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams—and not in the way most expected.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

“Lincoln Riley, I regret to inform you, has himself a really good quarterback in Jayden Maiava,” Pate said.

“I think Jaden Maiava is better at quarterback for Lincoln Riley than Caleb Williams was. He may not be the most talented quarterback he’s ever had, but he plays within a system. Caleb Williams played wildly out of it all the time. I guarantee Riley feels more comfortable with Maiava right now.”

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

That’s a bold claim considering Williams’ decorated résumé, but the numbers through four games back up the argument that Maiava may actually be a better fit for Riley’s system.

Statistically Neck-and-Neck with Caleb

Williams’ opening month in 2022 set the tone for his Heisman campaign: 1,054 passing yards, nine touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a pair of rushing scores.

That was the launchpad to a season where he rewrote USC record books and walked away with college football’s most prestigious trophy.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) warms up during the fourth quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

But Maiava? He’s doing even more. Through his first four starts this fall, the UNLV transfer has piled up 1,223 passing yards with the same nine touchdowns, plus four rushing scores—and like Williams, he hasn’t turned the ball over once.

He’s completing passes at a 70.8% clip and already owns a 74-yard touchdown strike on his 2025 highlight reel.

Jayden Maiava 🤝 Caleb Williams

QBU https://t.co/0nFQ7bs1o9

— Nico (@USC_Nico) September 23, 2025

When it comes to raw production, Maiava is matching Williams stride-for-stride while adding more explosiveness with his legs and efficiency through the air.

A System Built on Discipline

The difference, as Pate pointed out, isn’t just about numbers. It’s about style. Riley’s offense thrives when quarterbacks stick to progressions, deliver the ball on time, and trust the talent around them.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) talks with Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Williams, as brilliant as he was, often freelanced—turning broken plays into SportsCenter moments, but sometimes at the expense of structure.

Maiava has leaned the other way. He’s playing clean, controlled football, and the Trojans’ offense has been nearly unstoppable as a result.

USC ranks fourth in the Big Ten and third nationally in total offense (583.8 yards per game) while averaging more than 55 points, a jump from the Williams-led 2022 squad that sat seventh and sixth nationally in those same categories through four weeks.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) hands off the ball to Southern California Trojans running back Waymond Jordan (2) during the first quarter at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

In other words, Riley’s scheme isn’t just humming—it’s thriving at a level even higher than the Williams era.

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Heisman Talk Heating Up

The numbers and USC’s unbeaten record are forcing Maiava into the national spotlight and generating Heisman

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) runs the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

His balance of efficiency and explosiveness, combined with USC’s offensive firepower, gives him the statistical foundation to stay in the race deep into the Big Ten gauntlet.

Whether he’s truly “better” than Williams is still up for debate—talent, legacy, and long-term NFL projection remain in Williams’ corner.

But in the here and now, Maiava’s ability to maximize Riley’s system without turning the ball over has USC positioned as one of the most dangerous wild cards in college football.

Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; DUPLICATE***USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and head coach Lincoln Riley in the closing minute of the Trojans win over UCLA at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

If this is what “playing within the system” looks like, the Trojans might not just have their quarterback of the present—they may also have their best shot at crashing the Big Ten hierarchy in their first year in the conference.