Jayden Maiava's Biggest Key to Change USC's Trajectory

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava has been making headlines for his 2026 season potential, and coach Lincoln Riley see's a breakout season ahead for Maiava.

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava impressed Trojan fans in his first year as starting quarterback, leading the nation in quarterback rating at 91.2. Now, entering year two leading the offense and another full offseason in the program, Maiava's skill set can lead him to new heights.

Coach Lincoln Riley recently sat down with On3 analyst J.D. PicKell and discussed various topics surrounding defensive coordinator Gary Patterson and the No. 1-ranked recruiting class. However, his comments regarding Maiava were very telling about what he can do for USC's offense.

Jayden Maiava Has To Face Depth Chart Restructure

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

Riley is entering year five as USC's head coach this season, and is facing a "Playoffs or bust" expectation following the Trojans 9-4 record in 2025. What Riley does have is Maiava returning at quarterback for another season.

Maiava finished last season with 3,711 passing yards, 30 total touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His arm strength will be pivotal going into the fall, but his numerous turnovers could present an issue. However, Maiava's biggest concern comes from restructuring the offensive depth chart, specifically the wide receivers and the tight ends.

"One of Jayden's biggest challenges this year (is it) will be very different in the wide receiver and the tight end room. And so getting in sync with those guys will be a big, big part of it," Riley said on On3's Hard Count podcast with PicKell.

Riley continued to emphasize the massive growth Maiava the end of 2024 and his first starting season, noting that he has yet to hit his ceiling and he could emerge as a massive threat to USC's opponents this fall.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) poses with fans after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"He grew so much during the off season a year ago," Riley told PicKell. "I mean, just watching him the player this last year versus what he was two years ago, it's almost like watching two completely different people. I just still like feel like this guy's got a huge ceiling."

Maiava loses former wide receivers Jayden Maiava and Ja'Kobi Lane as well as tight ends Lake McRee and Walker Lyons from last year's lineup. Although he loses a good amount of starting receivers, Maiava has the 2026 class and transfer portal additions to work with, who bring a mix of talent and experience.

Continuity At Quarterback Is Exactly What Lincoln Riley Needs

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (right) talks with quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Riley's development of quarterbacks has been a staple to his coaching career, and he emphasized that to PicKell when discussing Maiava's return to the Trojans offense.

Even if Maiava's interception count was a little higher than USC fans were expecting, proving his arm strength and small flashes of being a dual threat quarterback will be extremely important this coming season. Anytime Maiava took advantage of finding a pocket of space to run, USC's offense became much more dangerous.

In a season where Maiava could likely go to the NFL Draft right after, addressing the glaring issues from last season and adjusting it to next season will be a win-win for both USC and Maiava's personal growth. The Trojans' schedule is one of the hardest in the conference, and it leaves little to no room for error.