Lincoln Riley explains adding Jayden Maiava out of transfer portal

Heading into the offseason, USC was thought to be a school looking for a quarterback out of the NCAA transfer portal. Nobody expected a younger guy to step into the program though, landing Jayden Maiava out of UNLV after his redshirt freshman season. Potentially a move for the future from head coach Lincoln Riley.

“We wanted to add a young guy,” Riley said. “But we wanted to add a young guy that had played. That was the No. 1 thing when we decided to take a portal QB that we feel like we needed to address. So, we felt like we needed youth but somebody that could also come in here and compete for the job. Jayden, we felt, fit that bill more than anybody else in the portal.”

Malachi Nelson was the young guy in the program for USC, thought to be the guy to take over one day. However, he decided to enter the portal himself and will continue his career with Boise State. After being a five-star recruit out of high school, Nelson spent just one season with the Trojans.

Maiava now enters with the role but as Riley said, he will have the opportunity to compete for the starting job.

Miller Moss will be the favorite heading into the spring thanks to his great performance against Louisville in the Holiday Bowl. He threw a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes and put himself in a great position moving forward.

Heading into the game, USC was maybe ready to look for a quarterback with a little bit more experience. Kansas State‘s Will Howard had his name linked to the Trojans. Once Moss proved himself on the big stage, Riley changed his portal strategy at the position.

“After the way Miller played in the bowl game, handled the six weeks, felt extremely confident in him. Really felt like there was not much of a need to pursue anybody that was older. So, that kind of just played itself out.”

Now, with Caleb Williams gone and likely the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Miller and Maiava are set to compete. Riley has confidence in both to start and has proved their worth on the field. A bring spring is coming up.

“We’re going to let those guys duke it out,” Riley said. “That’s kind of what it’s all about. But I think there’s starter level players in that room. Two guys that have proved it in different ways already. They’re going to get their shot here.”