Ever since his high-profile arrival at USC, Lincoln Riley has been at the center of college football’s most earth-shattering developments—NIL, the transfer portal, and, naturally, the Trojans’ audacious jump from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. The move was intended to usher in an era of hegemony. However, the past two seasons have been a whirlwind. Riley’s past two-year record stands at 15-11, and the 7-6 finish last season (including a 4-5 mark in the Big Ten) had fans wondering if there was ever any hope the Trojans would return to the top of the college football landscape. USC’s schedule isn’t helping Riley’s cause—disgusting Big Ten games, the potential loss of historic rivalries such as Notre Dame, and fans who expect nothing short of a playoff push annually. Following a bowl victory over Texas A&M last year, there is hope that the Trojans are finding their identity.
But if you truly want to see how crazy things have become in LA, just look at the quarterback drama. Miller Moss, the hometown kid who sat behind Caleb Williams, eventually got his chance and even guided USC to a Holiday Bowl victory in January 2024. But when the Trojans limped to a 4-5 start last year, Riley made the agonizing decision to sit Moss for Maiava. Maiava, who had quietly developed throughout the year, got his opportunity. Moss, being the competitor that he is, chose to enter the transfer portal, looking for a second chance and an opportunity to be the man elsewhere.
On the May 29th On3 episode, J.D. PicKell gives a little glimpse of how USC is performing this season, and that too through the eyes of anonymous B1G coaches. “That’s what gets lost about the USC teams that won big. They were killers in the front seven. That’s been missing,” a coach says. He goes on, “If they take the next step on defense, we’re talking about a team that can go in and play with the best programs in the nation.”
In the new-look Big Ten, you don’t have to score 50 every week. You have to be able to grind out victories and get stops on Nebraska- and Michigan State-type teams. PicKell mentions that if USC can make that next step and hold opponents to less than 24 points a game under the direction of D’Anton Lynn’s defense, they’re a legitimate playoff contender.
“USC-the reputation is quarterbacks, Heisman trophies, scoring a lot of points, offense, and that’s all true. That all comes with it, but like in reality, when USC has been at the top of their game, it’s been some absolute psychopaths on defense,” says PicKell. If you examine those glory years, the Trojans were as legendary for their nasty, hard-nosed defenses as they were for their flashy offenses.
Let’s consider the Pete Carroll era, which is essentially the gold standard for USC dominance. Sure, Leinart and Reggie Bush got all the publicity, but those teams were loaded with defensive monsters. Consider Troy Polamalu—the guy played like his hair was on fire, flying around out there, blowing up plays before they even began. Or Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing, who essentially made linebacker into a contact sport single-handedly.
And let’s not forget Rey Maualuga, who was a human wrecking ball in the middle of the field. Those guys didn’t just tackle you—they made you regret ever picking up a football. Now you’ve had the quarterback play to go with it. “USC in 2025. If Jayden Maiava is a little bit more timely than Miller Moss and they’re better in the fourth quarter, like USC is going to be right there in the mix,” PicKell says.
When you glance at USC in 2025, the quarterback position is under scrutiny like never before. But this year, it’s all about being ‘timely.’ That’s the magic word. Miller Moss had some moments, but he also had some terrible stretches that haunted the Trojans last season. Moss’s inability to shut out close games is the reason Riley made the change in the first place. He hoped that Maiava might provide a steadier touch when it counts. Maiava’s got the keys, though, and the pressure’s on. It seems like Coach Lincoln Riley has also given the green light for Maiava.
Lincoln Riley’s green light for Jayden Maiava
Lincoln Riley is fully committed to Jayden Maiava. You can sense the hope that oozes from the USC head coach whenever he speaks about his new QB1. After that wild ride of a 2024 season that had Miller Moss off to such a great start but ultimately had him benched, just for Maiava to be the face. Riley didn’t hesitate to have confidence in Maiava. The UNLV transfer seized the reins down the stretch and brought some much-needed polish to the Trojans’ offense.
Riley’s optimism isn’t empty words. He bases it on what he saw firsthand in Maiava’s development. He has praised how Maiava has developed his decision-making, particularly during the past few spring practices, and how he is throwing more confidently and with a greater grasp of the offense as a whole. “Jayden’s the No. 1 quarterback right now, which is not surprising at all,” Riley said, affirming that competition isn’t even close yet. Now that’s a bold statement. particularly with five-star freshman Husan Longstreet and transfer Sam Huard standing in the wings.
Riley references Maiava’s calm in crisis last year, leading USC to a 3-1 record, including come-from-behind victories over UCLA and Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. Even when Maiava did mess up, such as his early turnovers during the bowl game, he recovered and led a winning drive when it counted. Riley adores that toughness. Physically, Maiava is better off now, with last year’s knee ailment finally behind him. That should enable him to move more freely again and provide another dimension to Riley’s offense. The major challenge, in Riley’s estimation, is reducing the negative plays—scaling back turnovers and improving his completion percentage.
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