Three Big Questions for USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava

Heisman Trophy buzz surrounds USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava entering 2026 under USC coach Lincoln Riley, but the margin for error is thin.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Jayden Maiava enters the 2026 season tied for the 11th-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy alongside new Texas Tech Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby.

For a USC quarterback coached by Lincoln Riley, that positioning alone invites the obvious question: is Maiava next in a lineage of Heisman Trophy winners that includes Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield, Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray, Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts, and Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams?

Nov 1, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Maiava’s first full season as the starter was productive but incomplete. He threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns, both career highs, while guiding one of the Big Ten’s most explosive passing attacks. But a Heisman campaign requires more than volume stats. For Maiava to move from “solid starter” to legitimate national contender, three questions must be answered.

1. Game Manager or Floor Raiser?

In 2025, Maiava benefited from a veteran-heavy receiving corps led by Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon. USC averaged 296 passing yards per game, best in the Big Ten. Now, that safety net is gone.

USC lost four of its top five pass catchers to the NFL and the portal, including Lemon, Ja’Kobi Lane, Lake McRee, and Walker Lyons. In total, 178 receptions, 2,574 yards, and 21 touchdowns walked out the door in one offseason. That’s not turnover, that’s a full blown reset.

The returning anchor is sophomore Tanook Hines, who quietly emerged as an explosive option with 34 catches for 561 yards while averaging 16.5 yards per reception. Beyond him, Maiava will be throwing to youth: Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Ethan Feaster, Trent Mosley, Luc Weaver, five-star tight end Mark Bowman, and JUCO standout Josiah Jefferson.

This is where the Heisman question sharpens. Can Maiava elevate inexperienced talent, or does he need stars around him to function at a high level? Completing roughly 66 percent of his passes won’t be enough next season. Accuracy, anticipation, and command must take a step forward to ease the burden on a young receiving room still learning on the fly.

2. Can Jayden Maiava Do More With His Legs?

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) runs the ball against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Every Riley Heisman quarterback shared one trait: situational mobility. Hurts rushed for nearly 1,300 yards in 2019. Mayfield didn’t run often, but he ran when it mattered. Williams punished defenses in the red zone with his legs. Maiava, by comparison, was largely a pocket operator.

In 2025, he logged just 54 carries for 157 yards and six touchdowns. That’s modest, especially for a 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback with clear power-running potential. This isn’t about turning Maiava into a full-time runner. It’s about adding stress.

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With King Miller and Waymond Jordan returning, USC already has a strong ground foundation. Incorporating designed quarterback runs, goal-line packages, and short-yardage concepts, yes even “tush push” looks could make the offense harder to defend and raise Maiava’s overall impact.

3. Can He Take Better Care of the Ball When It Matters?

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) fumbles the ball while Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jared Dawson (93)defends in the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Maiava’s interception total (10) doesn’t jump off the page. The timing does. He was clean early against inferior competition. But over USC’s final eight games, including the bowl loss to TCU, he threw interceptions in seven of them, including three multi-pick performances. USC went 0-3 in those games.

With a 2026 schedule that includes the Indiana Hoosiers, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Oregon Ducks, those mistakes become season-defining. USC lost only four games last year. Turnover swings were central to those losses and to the Trojans falling short of their ceiling.

USC doesn’t need incremental growth from Maiava in 2026. It needs transformation. If he can elevate young receivers, add a functional rushing threat, and eliminate costly mistakes against elite competition, the Trojans can realistically chase a Big Ten title and playoff berth.

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