A year ago, when USC’s star quarterback left for the NFL, Lincoln Riley made his plans at the position abundantly clear. He would pursue a transfer quarterback to take over for Caleb Williams – someone like Cam Ward or Will Howard or another big passer who wanted the opportunity. Maybe he would add two: one older, one younger.
Longtime backup Miller Moss had other plans. In his first start, Moss threw for six scores and led the Trojans to a triumphant victory in the Holiday Bowl. So Riley, seeing no other choice, turned around and put his trust in Moss.
That succession plan ultimately yielded mixed results. While Ward and Howard led their new teams to 10-win seasons, Moss was benched in early November, replaced by Jayden Maiava, the transfer from Nevada to Las Vegas who was brought in as his backup. With Moss now in the transfer portal, Maiava is brought in as a starter and Riley finds himself back in a similar spot, with an uncertain future in the most important position in football.
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Riley exudes confidence in Maiava, who has led the Trojans to two wins in their last three games. “I think he’s going to continue to progress and get better and better,” Riley said Wednesday.
But with the transfer portal opening Monday — and given how a similar scenario played out last season — could Riley decide to put his faith in a transfer quarterback instead?
Riley confirmed Wednesday that USC plans to add a portal quarterback as two – Moss and third-stringer Jake Jensen – opted to transfer. But the hope, he said, was that a new passer would “bring some depth to that room.” Presumably that means behind Maiava and five-star freshman Husan Longstreet, the crown jewel of USC’s 2025 recruiting class.
“We obviously have a lot of confidence in both [Jayden] and Husan and what that room can become,” Riley said. “We’re going to put a lot of emphasis, a lot of reps and a lot of time into those two guys. Besides their skills, I just love the way those two guys are put together. We obviously have to ask someone else in some role to fill a room and make sure the team is doing well. But if you tell me that next year we’re going to go in with those two guys, as I think we will, then I’m very, very excited about it.
Adding a top-tier quarterback transfer isn’t just a matter of selling him to Riley or dangling a starting spot. It also means paying big bucks in a competitive market where the top quarterbacks command seven-figure name, image and likeness packages. Any NIL money spent on a quarterback means less is spent on other positions in the portal.
Complicating the situation further is the fact that Maiava’s representative will want to renegotiate his NIL deal after his three-match audition. And given the coach’s public confidence, it’s safe to assume Maiava has the power to command a significant pay increase.
It’s not like the market is bursting with top quarterbacks either. Texas A&M’s Connor Weigman and Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold are both former five-star prospects who were replaced after less than stellar starts at their respective schools. Others have experience: Fresno State’s Mikey Keene started 21 games over the past two seasons, while Liberty’s dual-threat Kaidon Salter started 29 games after starting his career as a four-star signee at Tennessee.
Read more: UCLA and USC football transfer portal tracker: Who’s in and who’s leaving?
Between now and the end of December, when it closes, more big-name passers-by could enter the portal. However, so far there are no clear starting options to pursue. Even with USC fans clamoring for a new quarterback, Riley’s shrewd move could be him standing next to the quarterback while developing the freshmen behind him.
After all, Maiava has made great strides during his first season at USC. His arm talent and athleticism were never a question. But since working with a private coach, the sophomore’s footwork and mechanics improved significantly. That includes his understanding of protection and other complexities of the position.
Against Notre Dame, the top-rated pass defense in college football, Maiava threw for 360 yards – nearly 100 more than any other quarterback to face the Fighting Irish. Seven of his 27 completions in USC’s season finale went for more than 20 yards, as Maiava broadcast it fearlessly.
It was “the best offense we’ve played all year,” Riley said afterward. But two late pick-sixes sealed the Trojans’ loss and stuck with Maiava, who looked dejected at the post-match press conference.
“There’s definitely a lot to learn from the last three games I played,” Maiava said. “I would say: I can’t turn the ball over in big moments. I disappointed the team, especially the seniors. But I am grateful for the opportunity the coach has given me.”
It won’t be the last chance he gets from Riley either. And at that moment, the coach leaned toward his quarterback for support.
“You also played a big role in why we played in that match,” he told Maiava. “Remember that.”
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
