USC star redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava will return to spearhead the Trojan offense in his final year of collegiate eligibility, USC football announced in a social media post Tuesday morning. 

Maiava earned significant NFL Draft buzz after throwing for 23 touchdowns and leading the Big Ten with 3,431 passing yards on a 66.2% completion percentage this season. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper had Maiava ranked as the No. 9 quarterback, meaning he was a very likely selection, but probably not in the first few rounds. 

Maiava’s 2024 entrance as USC’s starting quarterback was heroic, shouldering then-redshirt junior Miller Moss’ benching, leading USC to three wins including a 35-31 comeback bowl game win over Texas A&M. In just four games as starting QB that year, the UNLV transfer racked up 1,135 passing yards and 11 touchdowns on a 58.9% completion percentage. 

Interception troubles are Maiava’s biggest drawback: He threw eight in USC’s final eight games this season, including five during the Trojans’ three losses. He also threw six interceptions in his short stint as a starter in 2024. 

However, Maiava is also very mobile out of the pocket and is one of the most experienced returning signal callers in college football, likely setting the Trojans up well for next season. 

His decision to return may have implications for the future of five-star freshman quarterback Husan Longstreet, who was the expected starter had Maiava left for the NFL. Should Longstreet not want to wait another year behind Maiava, he could enter the transfer portal when it opens in early January.