USC quarterback Jayden Maiava picked up another preseason honor Monday, landing on the Walter Camp Player of the Year award watch list.
Maiava, a fifth-year senior, had already shown up on the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award and the Wuerffel Trophy. He is also one of 12 Big Ten players included on the preseason honors list and was named a nominee for the AFCA Goodworks Team for his work on and off the football field.
Last season, Maiava put together a strong stat line in 13 games, completing 265 of 403 passes for 3,711 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also added 157 rushing yards on 54 carries and scored six times on the ground.
That production earned him All-Big Ten Third Team recognition from the conference, Phil Steele and the Pro Football Sports Network. He was also a finalist for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award and a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien award.
The Walter Camp watch list includes 50 players total, with 41 on offense and nine on defense. Maiava is on the list alongside last year’s semifinalists Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss and Dante Moore of Oregon, plus finalist Julian Sayin of Ohio State.
The award process moves next in early November, when the 10-player semifinalist list will be released. Three finalists follow in early December, and the winner will be announced in the second week of December after a vote by 138 head coaches and sports information directors from Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
In Other News...
Zuriah Fisher Offers An Early Read On USCs New Defensive Identity
USCs defense is trying to look like a different unit heading into 2026, and the changes have come fast enough to match the ambition. Gary Patterson is in as defensive coordinator, five transfers have been added on that side of the ball, and former Penn State edge rusher Zuriah Fisher is part of the group tasked with helping reshape the Trojans into something sturdier and more disruptive. Fisher brings five years of Big Ten experience with him, and his presence fits the broader push for a defense that plays with more force and confidence.
Fisher has been back on the field after a brief setback in fall camp, and he has had a close view of what Patterson is asking for. The early signs have centered on a better baseline of physicality, especially from the younger players who are starting to grow into bigger roles and leadership responsibilities. It is still early, but the Trojans appear to be building a defense that wants to hit first and set the tone rather than react to it. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads Into Game Week With One Roster Battle Suddenly Heating Up
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The biggest note from the workout was how cleanly it came together at a time when many teams are still sorting out their depth charts and physical status. USC did not come away from the day with any fresh injury alarms, and the overall tone suggested a roster settling into game-week rhythm rather than one scrambling to patch holes. Even so, there is still enough movement at key spots to keep one roster battle worth watching as the Trojans head into the final countdown. [Read more 🡒]
USC Linebacker Battle Is Bringing Real Pressure To Returning Starters
The linebacker room has become one of the more interesting spots in USC camp heading into 2026, and that is exactly the kind of pressure the Trojans have been looking for. Returning starters Desman Stephens and Jadyn Walker are back in the mix, but they are no longer operating with anything close to a clear runway, with Washington transfer Deven Bryant pushing for a role and freshman Talanoa Ili drawing attention as well.
Lincoln Riley has singled out Bryant and Ili as standouts, a sign that the competition is doing more than simply filling practice reps. For USC, the larger goal is to raise the level of play at linebacker and build a stronger defensive front, which makes this one of the more important position battles on the roster as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]