By 4 video games this season, Jayden Maiava has carried out nearly all he might to dispel any lingering doubts about him as USC’s beginning quarterback.
Maiava is averaging 12.7 yards per move try this season, larger than every other quarterback in school soccer. His completion proportion has risen greater than 11 factors since final season (to 70.8%). He has thrown 9 passing touchdowns, plus added 4 on the bottom, and has but to show the ball over after throwing 9 picks throughout the identical variety of begins in 2024.
Granted, through the Trojans’ 4-0 begin, Maiava has but to face a move protection that ranks inside the highest 100 in passing yards allowed per try. Nor has he or anybody on USC’s offense confronted a lot in the way in which of adversity. The Trojans have scored greater than 52 factors per sport and received their first 4 by a median margin of 32.
However the stage of competitors ratchets up this week. Every of USC’s subsequent three opponents are ranked within the prime 25, whereas three of its subsequent 4 video games come on the street, starting Saturday with No. 23 Illinois, which was ranked within the prime 10 earlier than it was trounced by Indiana final weekend.
If USC has any hope of constructing the Faculty Soccer Playoff, it’ll want Maiava to show his quick begin in September wasn’t a fluke. USC coach Lincoln Riley doesn’t need Maiava to vary a lot from his first 4 weeks.
“Simply preserve doing what you’re doing,” Riley mentioned.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava evades a sort out try by Michigan State defensive again Armorion Smith on the Coliseum on Sept. 20.
(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Instances)
“He’s been regular. He’s been in a superb head area. There will probably be totally different challenges. You’re gonna have errors right here and there. That’s the place your expertise goes to indicate up. We simply want him to be the regular, environment friendly chief he’s been and preserve enjoying actually good, environment friendly ball. I believe he’s in a extremely good head area to do this.”
Illinois hasn’t had a lot success rattling succesful quarterbacks this season. Duke’s Darian Mensah threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2, whereas Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza dropped 5 scores on the Illini secondary final Saturday. Accidents have solely made issues worse for the Illini secondary because it misplaced All-Huge Ten slot nook Xavier Scott to a possible season-ending harm, have one security in concussion protocol and one other cornerback in a strolling boot. Two different defensive backs additionally exited Illinois’ final sport with some form of harm.
The stage is about for Maiava to make a serious assertion Saturday, in one of many marquee matchups of the week. Right here’s what else it is best to look ahead to when USC performs to Illinois.
