Jayden Maiava performance gave several encouraging signs for USC fans

All that USC fans wanted to see was improvement from Jayden Maiava. Especially after watching how the team as a whole looked against Missouri State, it is clear that the Trojan QB does not necessarily need to be playing at the highest of levels. Instead, avoiding the big mistakes and making the easy reads is going to allow Maiava to lead the offense to a winning season in 2025.

Already, Maiava's ball security and increased comfort in the system were on display against the Bears. When also looking at how some of the other quarterbacks performed around the country, the redshirt junior easily had one of the better quarterback performances in college football.

For Maiava to look better since the Trojans last stepped foot on the field against the Aggies speaks to the work and dedication that he has put in during the offseason.

Although Husan Longstreet later came in and made dazzling plays in his own right, during the first half, Maiava showed full command of the coach Lincoln Riley system and looked like an unquestioned leader during the opening two quarters.

Good decision-making from USC's QB1

The aspect that should perhaps provide the most encouragement from Maiava is the way that he balanced taking the deep shot with the short game. Especially through screen action and finding targets in the flat, Maiava showed a good deal of control and enhanced technique from last season.

Yes, the competition is only going to get tougher from here. Think of this past Missouri State game like a preseason encounter. Maiava made plays, and there were no big errors that would lead coach Riley to be scratching his head in the meeting room. For the first game as the full-time starter for USC following a full offseason, Maiava showed the needed improvement.