Lincoln Riley’s teams were rarely a mystery heading into a season until now. The Trojans HC debuted in the Big 10 on a strong note. But unfortunately, he has been on a downward slope since then. His record at USC so far is what makes the Trojans one of the biggest mysteries entering the 2025 season. Riley failed to meet the mark, despite having the calibre for the second time in a row. Once again, he has a new team that can take the program back to winning ways, especially with Jayden Maiava in the mix. To back the new QB1, Riley has a special weapon up his sleeve.
Riley is known for his offenses. Last year, things were looking great for him before the season. He was unable to exploit the full potential of the offense in 2024. The offense finished 23rd in the nation and topped the Big 10 chart in passing offense. But the team didn’t reach its full potential. Miller Moss did not live up to his hype as the Trojans’ QB1, and Jayden Maiava took over. That’s when fans saw a spark in the Trojans, but it was too late for USC to improve its standings. Maiava is expected to win the QB1 race. And if he does, he will have to bank on a key teammate who will be crucial to his success.
On3’s J.D. PicKell turned the spotlight towards Ja’Kobi Lane. Lane is not the guy in the receivers’ room who stands out the best. That guy is Makai Lemon. But PicKell still thinks Lane is going to be the game changer for Maiava to become USC’s X-factor. In an episode of The Hard Count, he said, “Jayden Maiava has a little bit of psychopath to him, which I think will ultimately benefit USC as an offense… Ja’Kobi Lane, probably, careful how I say this, I think he’s probably the best receiver in the Big 10, not playing for Ohio State.” You take Ohio State out of the picture, Jeremiah Smith goes out of the picture. Placing Lane over other WRs is a bit too bold, but worth the risk.
Lane is an absolute mystery entering the 2025 season. He, like the entirety of the offense, couldn’t breach the ceiling. But even before spring ball began, the WR was predicted to have a breakout season this year. Lane has 43 receptions for 525 yards and led the team last season with 12 TDs. He was also named Player of the Game in the USC-Texas A&M Bowl game. And how does he fit into the Maiava equation? The QB, after taking over from Moss, threw 11 TD passes. Lane caught 7 of those passes, which makes him a key target for Maiava. Lincoln Riley also acknowledges his potential.
“We return our best two,” Lincoln Riley said in a May 23 episode of Always College Football. “Those two guys, Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, are proven weapons at this level. I think with a full offseason, getting the continuity with Jayden, I mean, those two guys are as good a pair of receivers as there is in the country, in my opinion,” he added. Maiava will be leading a program that has come under a lot of bad rap in the past two years. But that does not mean this year will be part of Riley’s downturn. Maiava will need all the help he can get to take USC out of its slump. Despite his limited appearance in 2024, he is among the top QBs in the conference.
Jayden Maiava among Top 10 QBs in the Big 10
Maiava played 7 games last season, and was called in for a benched Miller Moss to start in the Nebraska game. Among the 4 games he started, USC won 3 of them, and that’s how Lincoln Riley was able to finish 7-6 at the end of the season. Maiava became a game-changing factor for USC and will be one of Riley’s most impactful chips to use in his 2025 run. That’s why Josh Pate found the QB worthy enough to be included in his list of top 10 QBs in the Big 10. Josh Pate ranked Maiava as the No. 7 prospect, behind QBs like Drew Allar, Julian Sayin, and Dante Moore.
Compared to the veterans on the list, Maiava doesn’t have a lot to bank on. But his potential showed in his debut season in the Big 10. The QB produced 1,201 yards, 11 TDs, and six interceptions. Before that, he had a brilliant year in the Mountain West Conference at UNLV. He racked up 3,085 yards, 17 TDs, and 10 interceptions. “I think the big goal for us is trimming some of the fat off of this. Can you take the good, certainly try to enhance that, but then can you take some of the negative plays, or some of the force throws, and can you remove those from his game? Because he’s really grown,” Riley said of Maiava in the show.
This is going to be a make-or-break season for Jayden Maiava’s career at USC, and he needs to go big and bold to keep his job. Can Maiava and Lane work towards that this year?
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