USC season to hinge on Jayden Maiava's development and bolstered overall roster

In terms of how USC will look and be able to compete, legitimate conversations about being in title contention are not too far out of reach. A lot will depend on how Jayden Maiava has progressed since being entered into the starting role during the heat of Big Ten play last season.

This is a coach Lincoln Riley system that is QB-friendly. Maiava will always have the help of one of the best wide receiver duos in the country in Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane. There is a lot going for the Trojans entering their second year in the BIG and Maiva's first full season as the starter.

That aspect specifically should bring about positive momentum for when USC starts playing games and throughout the season. Maiava, though not officially, is the presumptive starting quarterback. Throughout spring camp, coach Riley made it clear that he sees the junior as a notch above Husan Longstreet and Sam Huard at the moment.

For Longstreet, as a true freshman, that is to be expected. Although exceptions will always exist, in general it is difficult for someone out of high school, even if they enrolled a semester early, to be able to make a winning impact.

Huard appears to be someone who coach Riley would be highly comfortable running the offense with if the need were to emerge during the course of the season.

Even so, the starting quarterback job, barring something substantially significant from happening, belongs to Maiava as things stand now.

Overall team will be better at USC to support Maiava

Considering the returning receiving options, the bulked-up offensive line, and time in a familiar system, there is a lot to like about the prospects of Maiava's ability to execute at a high level in 2025. A large part of that will also involve the improvement of the defense.

While Maiava is comfortable as a gunslinger, that, as Trojan fans saw last year, can lead to mistakes. Instead, if USC can manage the game better on the other side of the ball and through the run game, the starting quarterback will not be asked to do as much to keep up in the scoring department and can then afford to be more judicious with unleashing his arm, without having that feeling of the need to match the other team's point total on each drive.