USC’s offense has found its groove with Jayden Maiava, and the Trojans are already working to make sure the future stays just as bright.
Maiava is putting together the best season of his college career, sitting atop the Big Ten in passing yards with 2,524 and touchdowns with 20. He’s also second in the conference in yards per game at 280.4, a big reason No. 18 USC is 7-2 overall and 4-2 in Big Ten play.
While Maiava drives the present, freshman quarterback Jonas Williams is being brought along carefully and aggressively at the same time. He’s learning behind Maiava and backup Sam Huard, and USC head coach Lincoln Riley likes what he’s seeing.
“I’m excited about his progress,” Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters, “what it means for our team here, the end of the season and what it means for the future.”
Williams arrived with plenty of hype. He was a four-star recruit, ESPN’s No. 1 player in Illinois, and the Illinois High School Association’s all-time leader in passing yards with 11,347 and touchdowns with 47. The scouting report on his 247 Sports profile calls him an athletic, explosive quarterback who gets the ball out quickly and shows confidence in the pocket, comparing him to Old Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.
USC has made a point of giving Williams real work this season. He’s been getting scout team reps, and Riley said that setup helps him sharpen his game while competing against Huard.
“Those reps are invaluable,” Riley said. “Sometimes when you’re running the scout team, you’re not always doing exactly what we do offensively, but fast reps against a good defense and then the competition on our practice field is so good for every player.”
That approach matters for more than just this season. USC had a promising young quarterback last year in Husan Longstreet, a five-star recruit out of Corona Centennial High who played in four games before transferring to LSU. With Williams, the Trojans are trying to keep a talented freshman engaged while Maiava is thriving.
So far, Williams has appeared in four games and completed 12 of 14 passes for 126 yards with one interception. He also has support from Maiava, who sees plenty to like.
“He’s got it all in him already,” Maiava said. “It’s Coach Riley, (quarterbacks) Coach (Luke) Huard.
Having those coaches with what he has is super huge. I think he’s ready.”
And Williams won’t be walking into a bare room next season if he stays. Freshman receiver Trent Mosley, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and tight end Mark Bowman are also getting meaningful in-game reps in pressure spots, giving USC a young core that’s already being tested.
“I don’t know if there’s enough respect for what (Maiava) is doing with this young of a group,” Riley said. “Like, that’s hard to do. He has the ability to make it look easier than it is with this young of a group and how he’s led those guys into some of these moments against some of these teams that we’ve played.”
In Other News...
USC Faces One Big Concern Before Massive Indiana Showdown
A showdown with real Big Ten and College Football Playoff weight is waiting for USC on Saturday, and the Trojans arrive with a little extra time to get ready after their win over Ohio State. No. 18 USC heads into Bloomington to face No. 9 Indiana in a matchup that suddenly feels like more than just an early-season measuring stick, with both teams sitting in the kind of spot where one result can reshape the conversation around the conference race.
The Hoosiers have had two weeks to sort through some recent inconsistency, and the betting line reflects how tough this trip is expected to be for USC, with Indiana favored by 8.5 points. For the Trojans, the spotlight lands on Jayden Maiava and an offense that will have to deal with a defense that has given opponents plenty to think about, making this one of those games where preparation matters almost as much as execution. [Read more 🡒]
USC Stars In The NFL Suddenly Face Mounting Injury Questions
A familiar USC pipeline into the NFL has been hit with a wave of injury uncertainty, with several former Trojans suddenly appearing on practice reports across the league. Amon-Ra St. Brown is dealing with a rib injury for the Detroit Lions, while Houston Texans teammates Jaylin Smith and Woody Marks are also carrying injuries that have left their availability up in the air.
The most immediate concern may be in Seattle, where Sam Darnold is expected to miss another game as he works through a cracked rib and a quad injury. For USC fans tracking the programs presence on Sundays, the timing is frustrating, with multiple alumni now waiting on medical updates rather than preparing for full workloads. [Read more 🡒]
USC Is About To Face The Road Script Fans Dread
Indianas rise in the latest College Football Playoff rankings has already come with a reality check, as the committees reassessment of the Hoosiers strength of schedule nudged them downward. Now they get a different kind of test at home, with ranked USC coming in carrying the kind of offensive profile that can make a Saturday feel a lot longer if the opponent cant control the line of scrimmage.
For USC, the concern is less about reputation than about fit. Indianas run defense has been stout enough to suggest the Trojans may not find easy answers on the ground, and if the Hoosiers defensive front can keep forcing predictable passing situations, the game could tilt toward a style USC would rather avoid on the road. That makes this one more than a rankings matchup, because the team that dictates the early downs may end up dictating the whole afternoon. [Read more 🡒]