Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas just wrapped up, and as expected, there was plenty of discussion surrounding the USC Trojans.
From the state of the program, the future of college football, and the status of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry, head coach Lincoln Riley covered it all and navigated the line of questions brilliantly.
Perhaps the most important thing to come out of the 3-day event was an update on the quarterback room and the impending starting signal caller.
The consensus thought has been that incumbent Jayden Maiava would retain the starting role after finishing the season 3-1 last year. However, Coach Riley has stated since the spring that while Maiava is the leader in the room, a competition is healthy, and both freshman Husan Longstreet and transfer Sam Huard have shown some good things.
He also stated that he felt confident in all three QBs to lead the team this year if called upon.
Riley was asked about Maiava and if he had chosen a starter ahead of fall camp, and this time, he was much more emphatic with his response.
Lincoln Riley Endorses Jayden Maiava As USC Trojans Starting QB Heading Into Fall Camp
To no surprise to most, Riley endorsed Jayden Maiava as the starting quarterback coming out of spring ball and heading into Fall Camp, which is set to kick off next week.
While it was a very clear answer as to the pecking order as it currently stands, it does not mean that it is set and stone and that Longstreet can’t make a push during the fall and overtake the top spot.
I do not see that happening, at least not for now, as the coaching staff has continued to rave about the development of Maiava and the improvements he has made since last season.
Check Out Our USC Trojans Merch And Gear Up For The Season
We saw him go 3-1 against some really good defenses. He just has to eliminate some of the soul-crushing negative plays, and he can become one of the top QBs in the Big Ten.
As far as it is concerned with Longstreet, he seems to be the real deal. All indications from the staff are that he is ahead of schedule, and having him in spring camp was a huge bonus. That being said, there is no benefit in rushing him into the starting role, especially with how well Maiava has been looking.
As Lincoln Riley told Colin Cowherd on his show Thursday morning, “First world problems.”
I will be at USC Trojans fall camp with plenty of updates regarding this situation and the rest of the program, so make sure to keep it right here at LAFB!