Lincoln Riley Shares Why USC Quarterback Jonas Williams Has His Attention

The No. 18 USC Trojans enter their final November run with quarterback Jayden Maiava. Sooner or later, coach Lincoln Riley and his staff must think about who'll step in once Maiava officially leaves.

Maiava still has the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers to think about with the rest of the Trojans. But Riley dropped an intriguing update about a potential successor at quarterback, Jonas Williams. This paints a picture that USC could be in great hands anyway once Maiava prepares for life after the Trojans.

Lincoln Riley's Jonas Williams Take Will Turn Heads

USC Trojans Jonas Williams Fresno State Bulldogs Big Ten Conference College Football Lincoln Riley Jayden Maiava — Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jonas Williams (15) throws the ball before the game against the Fresno State Bulldogs at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While USC is watching Maiava boost his personal NFL Draft stock, Riley told reporters over Zoom on Nov. 12 that he's seen strides from the true freshman Williams, especially when backup quarterback Sam Huard came back from a notable injury.

"I think he's improved a lot," Riley said. "When Sam got back to full go, that really helped to play Jonas with the scout team. Train him more aggressively."

Having Huard inside the quarterback room also helps with Williams' development, as Riley pointed out.

"Those reps are invaluable," Riley added. "And listen, sometimes when you're running scout team, you're not always going to do exactly what we do offensively."

Lincoln Riley Compares to Develop to Another NFL Caliber USC Talent

Lincoln Riley Oregon Ducks USC Trojans College Football Big Ten Conference Jonas Williams NFL Draft Elijah Paige — Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks off the field after the game against the Oregon Ducks at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Riley alluded to offensive lineman Elijah Paige having a similar developmental curve, which ultimately helped prepare him as a future starter and his own NFL Draft prospect.

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"Having to compete at a high level against good players every day has changed the trajectory of his career. And we're seeing the same thing out of Jonas," Riley said.

He later shined a light on where Williams has delivered his most strides.

"I mean, his ability to process, him getting used to the speed of the game and the level of competition that he sees every day now has been great," Riley said. "He's obviously getting used to see and experience our game plans and how we're attacking offensively. So he's getting used to both. Which I think, for a young quarterback, is ideal."

Riley concludes that he's excited about Williams' process moving forward, saying that it paints a strong picture of the future at USC. Yet his words also paint another picture.

Could Lincoln Riley Break Out of Notable USC Trend?

USC Trojans Jayden Maiava Ohio State Buckeyes Big Ten Conference College Football Recruiting Jonas Williams Lincoln Riley — USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) passes during the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 31, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Riley leaned on quarterback veterans to lead his USC teams since his arrival in 2022. That includes 2023 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams, who came with Riley from Oklahoma.

From there, Riley trusted the former UNLV starting quarterback, Maiava, fully next. And Maiava has shown his growth through Riley's Air Raid offense, sparking new late first round of the NFL Draft chatter.

Fans will wonder which high-profile quarterback names will enter the College Football Transfer Portal next. One popular rumor is that Texas quarterback Arch Manning is possibly giving the portal a try if things don't continue to materialize in Austin, although Manning can easily stay one more year or jump into the 2027 draft class.

But per Riley's words, perhaps this is the first offseason since 2024 when the coach goes all in on a recruit of his to take the quarterback reins. However, that experiment became short-lived, involving former five-star quarterback signing Miller Moss, who eventually transferred to Louisville.

Still, USC fans should feel great about Williams' trajectory. This could signal that Riley and USC won't need to put all their chips on one table for a transfer passer.

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