Lincoln Riley isn’t easing anyone into the Jayden Maiava conversation.
At Big Ten Football Media Days in Chicago, the USC coach made it clear he believes his quarterback belongs in the top tier of the sport, and he backed that up with a pointed assessment of how far Maiava has come.
"Jayden Maiava, our starting quarterback, he certainly has established himself as a leader on our football team, one of the best quarterbacks in the country," Riley said at Big Ten Media Days. "Of all the guys I've been fortunate enough to coach, I don't know that I've had any that have improved from day one to this point as much as Jayden has."
That’s a strong statement from a coach who has worked with Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts and Caleb Williams. Riley’s praise carries real weight, especially with USC trying to build momentum as one of the conference’s most intriguing up-and-coming teams.
Maiava’s numbers help explain why the confidence is there. In 2025, he led the nation with a 91.2 total quarterback rating and posted 3,711 passing yards along with 30 total touchdowns. He already has 31 career starts, and the question now is whether his growth under Riley can push him into another level.
Riley thinks the ceiling is still rising.
"It's been fun to see him grow as a player and leader, starting to embrace what it means to be the starting quarterback at USC. I think a guy that's just going to get better and better in his prime to play his best football," Riley continued.
Maiava’s path at USC has been steady. After transferring from UNLV in 2024, he took over as the starter for the Trojans’ final four games that season. He brought some much-needed stability to a position that had seen recent turnover, with Miller Moss later transferring to Louisville after the 2024 season.
There’s also a different kind of pressure building around USC’s offense this year. The Trojans return all five starters on the offensive line, but they’ll have to replace receivers Makai Lemon and Jakbi Lane, both now in the NFL. Tanook Hines is expected to step into a bigger role after making an impact last season.
Riley also pointed to the defense as a factor in Maiava’s continued growth, especially with Gary Patterson now running that side of the ball.
"It’s tougher to move the ball in practice," Riley said with a smile.
That daily grind could matter for a quarterback Riley says is entering his prime.
Maiava has already shown he can handle big moments. USC finished 9-4 last season, and in a 42-27 loss at Oregon, he threw for 306 yards against top competition. He was also one of 12 Big Ten players to earn preseason recognition, landing on the 2026 Big Ten Football Preseason Honors list.
Riley, Maiava and defensive tackles Jide Abasiri and Alex VanSumeren are in Chicago for the media days event. USC opens the season on Aug. 29 against San José State at 12 p.m. PT in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
In Other News...
Waymond Jordan Just Gave USC Fans A Reason To Watch Honolulu Closely
Honolulu was already a familiar stop for Jayden Maiava, and the USC quarterback was back there again for a meet-and-greet and fundraiser tied to Aloha 1st Athletics and its Sports Week Hawaii initiative. He was joined by running back Waymond Jordan, giving Trojans fans another reminder that the programs Hawaii ties keep showing up in more than just recruiting conversations. Maiava has been active in the community there before, including a football clinic and school visits, while the event itself centered on a broader mission around sports, connection and support for local families.
Jordans presence carried its own significance for USC, especially with summer work and fall camp approaching. The running back is coming off an ankle injury from the 2025 season, and his return to public view in Honolulu offered a positive checkpoint after a long rehab stretch. For a team that will be watching its backfield closely, any update involving Jordan tends to draw interest, and this trip at least suggested he is moving in the right direction as the offseason rolls on. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Made USC Fans Even More Concerned About Notre Dame
For USC fans who have grown used to seeing Notre Dame on the schedule every fall, the news that the rivalry will not be played in 2026 lands with real sting. The annual meeting has been a fixture again since 2020, and before that kind of pause you have to go all the way back to World War II, so even a one-year break feels like a jolt for one of college footballs most familiar series.
The split is tied to a scheduling disagreement, with USC preferring an early-season game and Notre Dame pushing for a later date, and Lincoln Riley still said he wants the rivalry to continue. But his comments also left the door open to the idea that USC would be lining up for the game if a certain unresolved condition had been met, which is exactly the sort of detail that keeps this from feeling like a simple calendar issue. [Read more 🡒]
Three USC Returners Are Suddenly Carrying Lincoln Rileys Biggest Burden
USCs preseason spotlight has a way of settling on the obvious names, but the pressure inside Lincoln Rileys program is spreading beyond the headline stars. With a reloaded receiving corps around Maiava and a defense still sorting out new pieces, the Trojans are leaning on a handful of returners to stabilize both sides of the ball as expectations rise again in Los Angeles.
Hines is part of that burden on offense, where USC needs someone to emerge as a dependable target while the rest of the receiver room settles in. On the other side, Christian Pierce is being asked to help hold together a secondary that lost a key piece, and Jahkeem Stewart is among the defenders expected to make an immediate impact. The early schedule should offer a quick read on how ready those returners are, and whether this group can carry more of Rileys burden than it has before. [Read more 🡒]