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Via 4 video games this season, Jayden Maiava has performed nearly all he might to dispel any lingering doubts about him as USC’s beginning quarterback.
Maiava is averaging 12.7 yards per go try this season, greater than every other quarterback in faculty soccer. His completion share has risen greater than 11 factors since final season (to 70.8%). He has thrown 9 passing touchdowns, plus added 4 on the bottom, and has but to show the ball over after throwing 9 picks throughout the identical variety of begins in 2024.
Granted, through the Trojans’ 4-0 begin, Maiava has but to face a go protection that ranks inside the highest 100 in passing yards allowed per try. Nor has he or anybody on USC’s offense confronted a lot in the best way of adversity. The Trojans have scored greater than 52 factors per sport and gained their first 4 by a mean margin of 32.
However the degree of competitors ratchets up this week. Every of USC’s subsequent three opponents are ranked within the prime 25, whereas three of its subsequent 4 video games come on the street, starting Saturday with No. 23 Illinois, which was ranked within the prime 10 earlier than it was trounced by Indiana final weekend.
If USC has any hope of constructing the Faculty Soccer Playoff, it’ll want Maiava to show his quick begin in September wasn’t a fluke. USC coach Lincoln Riley doesn’t need Maiava to alter a lot from his first 4 weeks.
“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” Riley mentioned.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava evades a deal with try by Michigan State defensive again Armorion Smith on the Coliseum on Sept. 20.
(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Occasions)
“He’s been steady. He’s been in a good head space. There will be different challenges. You’re gonna have mistakes here and there. That’s where your experience is going to show up. We just need him to be the steady, efficient leader he’s been and keep playing really good, efficient ball. I think he’s in a really good head space to do that.”
Illinois hasn’t had a lot success rattling succesful quarterbacks this season. Duke’s Darian Mensah threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2, whereas Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza dropped 5 scores on the Illini secondary final Saturday. Accidents have solely made issues worse for the Illini secondary because it misplaced All-Huge Ten slot nook Xavier Scott to a possible season-ending harm, have one security in concussion protocol and one other cornerback in a strolling boot. Two different defensive backs additionally exited Illinois’ final sport with some form of harm.
The stage is ready for Maiava to make a significant assertion Saturday, in one of many marquee matchups of the week. Right here’s what else you must look ahead to when USC performs to Illinois.
