Jayden Maiava is 'clearly' QB1 over Husan Longstreet, per Lincoln Riley

Teams across the country are coming out of spring with ongoing quarterback competitions or questions. USC, in having three that they’re looking at, is not one of those programs, though, according to Lincoln Riley.

Riley addressed how many first-team reps that Husan Longstreet is seeing this spring at camp for the Trojans. He said it’s not really about that with Jayden Maiava taking those snaps as “clearly the number one quarterback right now” in leading the offense for ‘SC.

“Uh, I mean, Jayden’s taking the reps with the ones,” Riley said last week after practice. “There’s really not – with more ones than twos. There’s really not as much, like, this guy with the ones, this guy with the twos in spring. It’s more just about just quality team reps.”

“And so, you know, for us, it’s not – I mean, Jayden is clearly the number one quarterback right now,” said Riley. “I mean, that’s, that’s – which is not surprising at all.”

Maiava became their starting quarterback last season for the final four games from mid-November on over Miller Moss. USC went 3-1 in those games, including a win over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl and with the one loss being to the national runner-up in Notre Dame, with Maiava completing 59.3% of his throws for 283.8 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.

However, that is not to say that Longstreet, the five-star signee and the fourth highest-rated quarterback in the class, isn’t where he needs to be. The same can be said for Sam Huard, a former top recruit himself who transferred in after stops at Washington, Cal Poly, and Utah. They’re just learning through the spring and into the summer, especially Longstreet in his first collegiate period as an incoming true freshman.

“He’s getting better. I mean, he, he does some, some great things. He still makes some freshman mistakes from time to time. He’s just growing and learning,” said Riley. “Husan has done a really nice job. He makes a lot of explosive plays. I would expect, you know, there in the summer, he would have an opportunity to get a lot better. Just like I kind of told you guys the same thing about Jayden last year. I mean, last year in spring, you know, Jayden was doing some good things but was still learning and the summer and fall camp was really helpful for him. I’m sure it will be for Husan, and for Sam as well.”

Again, not much to think about here for the Trojans coming out of spring camp. Maiava projects as that starter for USC per Riley while their staff believes that entire trio of quarterbacks are capable for them come the fall.

“I feel like we have three guys that, that we can go win with,” said Riley. “I mean, all three guys have shown the ability to move the ball, command the offense, um, and have all trended in a positive way.”