Jayden Maiava figuring out what it takes to be successful at USC

CHICAGO — The redshirt senior is approaching a season of high expectations, and dealing with the outside noise that comes with the territory of being a Heisman contender at USC.

Last year Jayden Maiava showed that he deserved all of the hype, in which he started all 13 games for the Trojans, and led the entire Big Ten in passing yards per game, and total offense. Now he’s the big man on campus, and has USC fans believing that he can lead the program back to the promised land.

Sam Darnold was the last quarterback to lead the Trojans to a conference championship, which happened in 2017, and they have never made a Playoff appearance. Maiava understands that the west coast blue blood is due for a special year, and believes the pieces are in place to make that happen.

Although Maiava will be without his top-two receivers from last season, elite wideouts grow on trees in Los Angeles. Maiava trusts that he has what it takes to finally conquer the Big Ten, and he can’t wait to unleash USC’s aerial attack on the opposition this fall.

“I think being able to adapt to the environment, being able to buy in, and getting to know the receivers at a deeper level , so we can go out there and play fast at a high level,” Maiava said. “Building that chemistry with those guys, having those meetings and doing everything I have to do to put the team in the best position to score points.”

Coach Lincoln Riley is one of the nation’s best quarterback whisperers, considering he has three Heisman winners under his belt. However, there’s pressure on Riley to deliver something worthwhile as he enters his fifth season at USC. Riley has confidence in Maiava’s abilities, and maturation process, knowing great quarterbacks make others around them better.

“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,” Riley said. “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.”

The Hawaii native has the physical attributes, including a strong arm, and long strides when it comes to mobility, but what impresses Riley about Maiava is his leadership. Maiava carries himself like a winner, and when a player has that type of aura, his teammates usually gravitate towards him.

What Riley wants is for Maiava to use the weapons around him, instead of trying to be the hero on every play. Limiting the turnovers will go a long way too. The former three-star prospect has a history of forcing the ball into traffic, instead of throwing it away. Riley needs Maiava to realize that it’s okay to live to play another down, and to always have a short-term memory, in which he feels is part of his growth as a gunslinger.

“Probably the best thing that I’ve learned over this offseason is to compartmentalize everything,” he said. “Knowing when to put it to the side, and know when to give that moment my best.”

There’s high anticipation from the fans for USC’s 2026 campaign, but without major improvement on defense, Maiava can only take the team so far. It’s very challenging trying to outscore opponents week in and week out, so Maiava doesn’t have to put all the pressure on himself to get the Trojans to the finish line.

Still, when the game is on the line, he wants the ball in his hands, and be the one to deliver for the team in the clutch. Riley continues to help Maiava deal with all of the lofty expectations, and that’s what he admires the most about his head coach.

“I really appreciate, and love our relationship with Coach Riley,” the 22-year old said. “We talk a lot behind the scenes, and when you have a coach that you can talk to outside of football stuff, it makes him a really great coach, and it means a lot.”

Maiava also receives advice on life lessons, and how to handle adversity from former USC quarterbacks. Darnold has reached out to him a couple of times, as well as Heisman winner Matt Leinart. He embraces everything that they tell him, and applies it on the field.

The opener against San Jose State at the Coliseum in week zero will be a great opportunity for Maiava to get off to a hot start, and pick up from where he left off. At the end of the day, Maiava intends on staying level-headed by not getting too high, or too low on himself. In his mind everything is going to pay off, just as long has he stays the course.

“I think that constant wanting to learn, that constant wanting to get better, having that mindstate of improvement and never being satisfied.”