Jayden Maiava, the last QB standing, deserves USC fans' full support

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I want you to think back to November of 2022 for a second. Caleb Williams was putting the finishing touches on a Heisman Trophy season for USC football. The first year under Lincoln Riley was going incredibly well. And with Williams returning in 2023, USC looked like a lock to compete for the national championship in 2023.

That’s not what happened, but we’re not here to talk about that in this article. We’re here to talk about the quarterback position.

Back in 2022

Back in 2022, who did you think was going to be USC’s next great quarterback after Caleb Williams? Maybe it was Miller Moss, a local kid who was a holdover from the Clay Helton era and a onetime four-star prospect. Maybe it was Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 player in the country set to come to campus in 2023. Maybe as time went on you thought it would be JuJu Lewis, or even Husan Longstreet.

None of those players will start for USC in 2026. The starter will instead be Jayden Maiava, a former three-star prospect who transferred to USC from UNLV in 2024 to be the backup to Moss.

That would have come as a shock to our 2022 selves. But you know what’s even more remarkable? I’d rather have Maiava under center then any of those guys.

Cards on the table

You may disagree with me. You may believe Husan Longstreet is the better player or has a higher ceiling.

But the fact of the matter is that Longstreet is gone, and Maiava is still here. There’s no room in the fanbase for Husan Longstreet holdouts. It’s time for everyone to throw their support behind Jayden Maiava as “the guy” for USC moving forward.

Let’s talk about what I mean.

His legacy has a chance to be special

There’s a real chance that Jayden Maiava finishes his USC career with more wins than Caleb Williams. He could also finish with less losses.

That may sound shocking, but think about it. Williams went 18-8 in his two years as USC’s starting QB. Maiava is currently 11-6 in his year and a half as USC’s starter. Maiava needs only 7 wins to match Williams, and if USC finishes with 2 losses or less, he will also have lost less.

Do I think that Maiava is better than Williams? No. Do I even think he can compete for the Heisman? That remains to be seen. All I am trying to illustrate is that when we look back at Maiava’s career, we could be looking back at something special.

He was already one of the best quarterbacks in college football this season, delivering USC fans unforgettable memories such as beating ranked teams like Michigan and Iowa at the Coliseum. If he gets even better this offseason? We could be in for something really special.

Maiava’s grit and loyalty

Maiava may not have the highlight reel of Caleb Williams when his career is done. But no one can say he hasn’t given his all for USC.

He could have gone to the NFL draft this offseason, but he chose to return to college. A quiet, humble guy, Maiava has put his head down and put in the work at every turn.

There’s one highlight, regardless of how next season goes, that I will always remember Maiava by: his game-changing forced fumble after throwing an interception against Northwestern.

That’s the kind of player Maiava is. Regardless of what you think about his talent, he clearly is a team-first guy who bleeds Cardinal and Gold. That’s something every Trojan fan can get behind.

If we are figuring it out midseason, we are in trouble

There’s also the simple fact that, USC doesn’t have the luxury to turn to Jonas Williams or someone else midseason next year. By the time the Trojans make that realization, the season could already be over.

The Trojans have to play Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State, Washington and new-look Penn State next season. The Trojans also need to add another non conference game, which will likely be against a Power 4 opponent. That’s not a schedule that is conducive to figuring it out as we go along or turning to a freshman quarterback midseason. If USC is going to take on such a difficult schedule, they need to do it behind a quarterback they can trust.

Even if you don’t like Maiava, supporting him is a necessity because next season depends on it.

The fate of the Lincoln Riley era rests on Maiava’s shoulders

It’s not just next season. There’s no way around it. Lincoln Riley needs to make the College Football Playoff, or at least get very, very, very close and show some progress from 2025, to secure his job as the USC head coach beyond 2026.

That makes Maiava the single most important player in the Lincoln Riley era. If he succeeds and USC’s offense thrives, the Riley era continues. if Maiava struggles, the Riley era could end.

You may not like Lincoln Riley, you may not think he’s the best coach for USC. But do you really want to go through a rebuild at USC AGAIN?! For the umpteenth time since Pete Carroll left?

It’s a simple equation. Maiava could get USC over the hump in 2026, or he could leave us back at square one. I’d much rather be in the playoff then at square one, regardless of what I think of Lincoln Riley.

Maiava thrives when he’s confident

There’s a reason why Jayden Maiava led the Big Ten in passing yards but also finished tied for second in interceptions. He’s a gunslinger. When he’s playing confident football he looks like one of the best quarterbacks in the country. When he struggles, the boneheaded mistakes can pile up.

Maiava has a lot of pressure on him heading into 2026. The least USC fans can do is throw all of their support behind him. He’ll probably play better football if he feels the energy of the entire Trojan family in his corner.

What are your other options anyway? Griping about what could have been with Longstreet? Hoping 2026 is a disaster so USC has to fire everyone?

Nah. Real Trojan fans will root for the Trojan football players that take the field in 2026, and that starts with Jayden Maiava.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Jayden Maiava needs USC fan support after Husan Longstreet departure

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