Riley makes quarterback change as season goes awry
Jayden Maiava will be under center for the Trojans after the benching of Miller Moss.
By HENRY MODE
In a seismic move in USC’s rapidly sinking football season, Head Coach Lincoln Riley announced Tuesday afternoon that redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss has been benched in favor of redshirt sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava.
Maiava will start in the Trojans’ (4-5, 2-5 Big Ten) next game against Nebraska (5-4, 2-3) on Nov. 16. Riley’s decision comes after first-year starter Moss threw three interceptions in the USC’s road loss to Washington (5-4, 3-3) Saturday. Moss has tossed eight picks in the Trojans’ five losses so far this season.
Moss put his talent on display in his sole start at the end of the 2023-24 season, throwing a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in an impressive 42-28 win over Louisville. After Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams, who became the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft a few months later, opted out of the bowl game, Moss took advantage of the opportunity, impressing and winning the starting job for the 2024-25 season.
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His second career start was just as storybook, completing 27 of 36 passes for 378 yards and a touchdown in a season-opening upset win over then-No. 13 LSU (6-2, 3-1 SEC) in Las Vegas.
But Moss’ honeymoon period did not last long, and after the Trojans lost five of their first seven games in Big Ten play, Riley decided to see what the coaching staff has in Maiava for the remainder of the year.
“We felt like it was in the best interest of the team to give Jayden a chance,” Riley said after practice Tuesday.
Maiava, a transfer from UNLV, had an impressive freshman season with the Rebels in 2023, throwing for 3,085 yards and accounting for 20 touchdowns. He has played limited snaps in relief of Moss this season, completing eight of 11 passes for 66 yards and rushing for a touchdown.
Maiava and USC have just three matchups remaining, taking on Nebraska and No. 10 Notre Dame (7-1) at home, as well as crosstown rival UCLA (3-5, 2-4) on the road. Riley’s squad must win two of its final three games to earn a berth in a bowl game.
