Jayden Maiava on taking over as USC's QB1: 'I'm here for one thing and that's just to win games'
Jayden Maiava spoke publicly for the first time since being elevated from backup to USC’s starting quarterback with the Trojans having lost four of their past five games and sitting at 4-5 overall this season.
The move comes during USC’s bye week and Maiava will have two full weeks to get ready for the Trojans’ homecoming game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
“Let’s practice,” Maiva said of his first thoughts after being told of the change. “Let’s just go out there and start getting reps in.”
Maiava arrived at USC in time for spring practice and was earning a share of the reps then and during fall camp. But with Miller Moss entrenched as the starter this season, he was the one getting first-team reps. Maiava said now it’s important for him to build relationships with the USC receivers and become a more vocal leader for the team.
USC has just three games left and needs to win two of them to reach bowl eligibility. Riley hasn’t committed to Maiava serving as the starter for the rest of the season. But a home game against Nebraska is an opportunity for him to make a statement.
“I’m here for one thing and that’s just to win games,” Maiava said. “I firmly believe in our teammates. We’ve got a great team, a great coaching staff. They do such a good job preparing us week in and week out. That’s all I can do.”
Riley said earlier this week that Maiava has done well to learn from Moss during his time as the backup. Moss has been at USC for all three years of Riley’s tenure and knows the offense and playbook as well as anybody on the team. Maiava, who started the final 11 games last season for UNLV, said he was able to learn a lot from his perspective on the sideline this season. He also benefitted from film study and watching Moss operate in the offense.
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“I do want to say one thing I’ve learned from Miller is definitely the decision making he’s made on the field,” Maiava said. “He’s a very genius quarterback. He’s very intelligent. Obviously, we have coach Riley who’s a genius and intelligent with the whole football thing. He’s just done a great job making the right decisions situationally.”
Maiava said he’s focused on the controllables right now, which he lists as effort and attitude.
“At the end of the day, it’s football,” Maiava said. “Obviously, we’ve got our assignments. We’ve got to execute great plays. But at the same time, it’s football. So we just have to go out there and play football.”
There’s always plenty of attention on the starting USC quarterback and there will be even more so in the coming weeks with a change. There’s also the fact that Maiava will be the first Polynesian quarterback to start for the Trojans (and will be facing off against fellow Polynesian Dylan Raiola). But Maiava said he’s “not a big social media guy” and has stayed away from his phone when asked about any special or significant messages he’s received.
It’s head-down and get-to-work time for Maiava, who said he also considers it his job to make sure everyone on the field with him is having fun. But he also knows the opportunity he has in front of him.
“My accountability, be the best teammate I can for my teammates,” Maiava said. “I think that’s the best thing I can do for this team…I’m going to lay my life on the line for them. I’m going to be a brother’s keeper, so hopefully they do the same.”
