Four Reasons To Be Excited About USC Trojans Football Next Season

Both optimism and pressure are building around the USC Trojans football team as the program searches for its first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Some believe that Trojans coach Lincoln Riley has to win now if USC is fully invested in the success of the program.

With the conclusion of spring practice, here are the biggest reasons to be excited about USC heading into 2026.

USC Trojans Quarterback Jayden Maiava

usc trojans jayden maiava lincoln riley confidence college football playoff gary patterson trenty mosely luke wafle — 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. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The re-signing of USC quarterback Jayden Maiava was arguably the biggest win of the Trojans' offseason, even after signing the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

Maiava led the Big Ten with 3,711 passing yards, good for the sixth-most in the nation in 2025. He threw 24 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, and cleaning up turnovers in his fourth season of college football could be the difference maker for Maiava and the Trojans.

Despite Maiava's return, USC's offense will look different thanks to the departures of wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane to the 2026 NFL Draft. While losing two star receivers impacts any offense, Maiava does have the benefit of continuity along his offensive line.

Experienced Offensive Line

While the wide receiver position might spark some questions, the Trojans' offensive line is the opposite. All five starters from the 2025 season are expected to return in tackles Elijah Paige and Justin Tauanuu, guards Alani Noa and Tobias Raymond, as well as center Kilian O'Conor.

Both O'Connor and Paige suffered lower-body injuries that forced them to miss time in 2025 but are expected back for the 2026 season. Rising redshirt sophomore Kaylon Miller had a breakout season amid USC's injuries, and his valuable depth could again pay off next year.

Additionally, the Trojans added a number of talented offensive lineman through the recruiting rankings, namely five-star Keenyi Pepe and four-star Breck Kolojay, who could compete for early playing time.

USC's New Defensive Coaching Staff

The addition of defensive coordinator Gary Patterson isn't the only change that the Trojans made to their defensive coaching staff. With Patterson leading the defense, USC also hired safeties coach Paul Gonzales and special teams coordinator / linebackers coach Mike Ekeler.

The Trojans have not ranked inside the top 50 scoring defenses in the country with the lowest mark being No. 121, allowing 34.4 points per game. The program has been making progress, allowing 23.0 points per game (No. 51 in the nation) last season under former USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn.

Offense has never been a question for Riley at Oklahoma or USC, and the experience of Patterson combined with Gonzales and Ekeler should be reason enough for optimism. However, Riley is on his third defensive coordinator at USC. Third time's the charm?

Lincoln Riley'Star-Studded Freshman Class

Pepe and Kolojay have already been mentioned, but USC has more game-changing recruits that have already arrived on campus. Defenisve lineman Luke Wafle was the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2027 according to Rivals' rankings, and wide receivers Trent Mosley as well as Ethan 'Boobie' Feaster were named to the 2025 MaxPreps High School All-America first team offense.

Whether or not USC freshmen like Wafle, Mosley, and/or Feaster make in impact in 2026, their arrival on campus marks a change in the Trojans' recruiting efforts. If Riley, alongside Trojans general manager Chad Bowden, can continue to stack top-ranked recruiting classes coming into USC, the program should get closer to another national championship.

Having players like Mosely and Wafle already on campus allows them to develop and adjust to the college game, even if their presence isn't fully felt until the 2027 season.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.