Inside Jayden Maiava’s quest to change into a whole QB for USC

When John Beck first watched Jayden Maiava throw a soccer up shut this summer season, he may see fairly rapidly why USC may hold its hopes on Maiava’s rocket proper arm.

“He spins the ball very well,” Beck mentioned. “The expertise is there. The power is there.”

Few are as certified as Beck to make that evaluation. A former NFL quarterback and personal quarterbacks coach for 3DQB, he has helped advantageous tune a few of the finest passers within the sport, from Tom Brady and Drew Brees to Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert. And this summer season, over “a handful” of periods at 3DQB’s coaching facility in Huntington Seashore, Beck turned his consideration to the mechanics of the Trojans’ beginning quarterback.

Beck already had a basic concept of how Maiava had risen into the beginning position. He knew after impressing as a freshman at Nevada Las Vegas that Maiava had transferred to USC, the place, final season, he began at quarterback over the ultimate 4 video games. He knew, too, that USC gained three of these 4, all whereas Maiava’s efficiency oscillated between breathtaking and anxiety-inducing.

That variability is a part of what led Maiava to 3DQB — and to Beck.

As he watched Maiava throw for the primary time, Beck noticed that spectrum. He observed sure kinds of passes weren’t maximizing the potential of Maiava’s arm. The later into the development, the much less environment friendly his mechanics typically can be.

“He would make some throws, and also you’d go, ‘Oh wow, there’s some actual arm expertise there,” Beck mentioned. “Then you definitely’d see some others, and the query can be, ‘Why isn’t that arm expertise, that effectivity exhibiting up in the identical method on these particular throws?’”

All quarterbacks undergo that course of, Beck mentioned. And whereas Maiava has loads of pure expertise at his disposal, he hadn’t labored with a devoted quarterback coach till final spring. That first personal coach, Ryan Porter, informed The Occasions final fall that Maiava was “tremendous uncooked” and was nonetheless digesting USC’s offense in the beginning of final season.

However as Maiava enters this season as USC’s unquestioned starter, his plan was to do all the pieces to raise his recreation. That didn’t cease at working with a personal coach. Maiava got down to get stronger, to get sooner. He devoured cut-ups of previous Lincoln Riley quarterbacks, like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams. He began studying motivational books, beneficial to him by USC’s new power coach, Trumain Carroll. He even began meditating.

“Simply doing something I can to be smarter and get extra information,” Maiava mentioned. “As a result of information is energy.”

With regards to his mechanics, Riley insists there have been no “radical issues” for the parents at 3DQB to repair. Beck mentioned their focus with Maiava was largely on the finer factors of his mechanics; like the way to be extra environment friendly together with your footwork; or the way to switch your weight to ship several types of throws with the identical zip.

Perhaps most significantly, they repped Maiava in as many alternative situations as attainable.

“They simply did an ideal job of placing me in conditions that I may very well be most ready for,” the junior quarterback mentioned. “Soccer is a recreation with numerous prospects. Something can occur inside a play.”

A season in the past, that actually felt the case with Maiava on the helm of USC’s offense. He accomplished fewer than 60% of his passes and threw six interceptions. Two of these picks sank USC’s hopes of upsetting rival Notre Dame, because the Irish returned each for touchdowns. A month later, within the Las Vegas Bowl, Maiava threw three interceptions earlier than main a wild comeback win over Texas A&M.

The bowl recreation ran the total gamut for Maiava, the great and the dangerous. However within the fourth quarter, he believes he discovered one thing that may assist him going ahead.

One of many books he learn this offseason, “Profitable: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness” by Tim Grover, stresses the significance of sustaining a “impartial mindset,” by no means permitting oneself to get too excessive or too low emotionally.

USC quarterbacks Jayden Maiava, left, and Husan Longstreet, heart, participate in passing drills at follow on July 30.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)

That resonated with Maiava, who had a bent to dwell on errors. Towards Texas A&M, he dismissed his efficiency within the first three quarters to steer USC on three landing drives within the fourth. On the ultimate drive, Maiava accomplished eight of 9 passes for 78 yards, together with the profitable landing, with eight seconds remaining.

“That’s one thing I wish to replicate on,” Maiava mentioned. “Simply having that impartial mindset and going on the market for that final drive.”

That’s the model of himself Maiava is hoping to carry on to this season. Up to now, the distinction in him has been distinct, in line with teammates and coaches.

“You’ll be able to simply really feel Jayden being extra comfy in his personal pores and skin and extra comfy being one of many leaders of this soccer group and working this offense,” mentioned Luke Huard, USC offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. “You simply really feel an improved and elevated stage of confidence with the way in which he’s going about his enterprise.”

That was the aim when Maiava set out this summer season to take himself severely — studying and meditating and drilling down the finer factors of the place.

“This was his first alternative to actually be skilled like a professional,” Beck mentioned.

“Now, it’s nearly tying all of it collectively.”