1 week Ago By USA TODAY Sports
Whether it’s because of the program’s stature or the idea of being a leading man in a town known for churning them out, the starting quarterback at is often one of the most notable figures in the broader world. This century alone, three Trojans quarterbacks — Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Caleb Williams — have won the Heisman Trophy, with Palmer and Williams going on to become No. 1 overall NFL draft picks.
Though they had varying degrees of success, many USC quarterbacks have made it to the , a group that includes the aforementioned Heisman trio, plus Sam Darnold, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley, Rodney Peete and Rob Johnson. Stepping into the position comes with not only pressure, but expectations. With USC struggling amid a 4-5 record in its first season in the , third-year coach Lincoln Riley has opted to make a switch at the game’s most important position: , the team’s starter in the first nine games, .
In his place will step Jayden Maiava, a transfer in his first season with the program. Heading into the Trojans’ game Saturday against Nebraska, here’s what you need to know about Maiava, and Riley’s decision to bench Moss: Once Williams went off to the professional ranks, where he was taken by the Chicago Bears with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, USC had a gaping void at quarterback, having lost its biggest star and having no obvious successor in place.
About two weeks before the team’s 2024 season-opener against LSU, Moss emerged as the winner of the quarterback competition. Moss had been with the Trojans for the previous three seasons, but had little game experience beyond a stellar showing in a Holiday Bowl victory against Louisville in 2023, a game in which he threw for 372 yards and a bowl-record six touchdowns. In nine games as the starter, Moss’ overall statistical body of work has been solid, with 2,555 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
But as USC’s once-promising season has crumbled, with four losses in its past five games, Moss’ play has deteriorated. Of his nine interceptions this season, seven have come in the past five games, including three in a 26-21 loss at Washington on Nov. 2.
Two of his interceptions led to 10 points for the Huskies, one of which came in his team’s own territory and another of which squandered what could have easily been a scoring drive, with the Trojans at the Washington 37-yard line. USC made the move during its bye week. While explaining his decision to move away from Moss, it was nothing more than, “We have another good player in the room and we feel like he gives us a good opportunity.
” "You could literally not change one thing that Miller's done and we could be sitting here with a really, really good record right now," . “Miller has done a very good job. He's been a really good leader for this team.
He's been loyal to this program. He has worked hard, and he has done a lot of really good things on the football field." With Moss now on the bench, USC turns to Maiava to try to help the team turn around its season in the final three games, with two more victories earning it bowl eligibility.
Maiava is a sophomore who is in his first season with the program, having transferred over in the offseason from UNLV. While his college resume isn’t lengthy, it’s impressive. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, he started all 14 games and led UNLV to a 9-5 record, its most wins in a season since 1984.
For his accomplishments, he was named Mountain West freshman of the year. Following the season, he entered the transfer portal. After initially committing to Georgia, he turned around one day later and flipped his decision to USC.
Maiava has attempted just 11 passes across three games this season for the Trojans, but will now step into a much larger role with a chance to prove himself as a long-term solution for the program. "He's improved throughout the year,” when addressing his move at quarterback. “He improved in camp.
And he's continued to improve," Riley said. "It's not easy being the backup, and I felt like he's handled it that well. He's a talented kid.
In these instances, it's tough. It's like you've got two children, especially at that position, and only one of them is going to be out there. But we're obviously excited for Jayden to get this opportunity.
" In limited action this season, Maiava has completed 8 of 11 passes for 66 yards and added three carries for 27 yards and a touchdown. Last season at UNLV, he completed 63.5% of his passes for 3,085 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while averaging 8.
7 yards per attempt. He was a threat on the ground, as well, rushing 73 times for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Maiava was a relatively unheralded prospect coming out of high school, ranked as a three-star recruit by , which had him as the No.
852 player overall and the No. 53 quarterback nationally in the 2022 recruiting class. A Palolo, Hawaii native, Maiava attended Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas.
He transferred there from Kaimuki High School in Hawaii. In what would be his only season at Liberty, he threw for 2,027 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior in 2021 while helping lead the Patriots to the state championship game. He was a second-team all-Southern Nevada honoree by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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