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He was on the brink of the biggest moment of his football career last November when Jayden Maiava tried firing a back-shoulder pass to the sideline and disaster struck.
His third start at USC, to that point, had been his best, by far. While Notre Dame rolled over USC’s run defense, the young quarterback kept the Trojans afloat, passing for three scores and rushing for two more in a performance reminiscent of the one that, in 2022, secured Caleb Williams his Heisman Trophy.
But then came that sideline throw in the final minutes. The pass was picked off by the Irish and returned for a touchdown. A few minutes later, having led USC back into the red zone once again, Maiava threw a second, back-breaking pick-six.
Those two interceptions, as well as his four others through four starts last season, stuck in Maiava’s mind all spring and summer, as the junior dove into film study and made cutting down on turnovers and bouncing back from poor decisions a priority.
And with Notre Dame on tap once again this weekend, this time with College Football Playoff implications for both teams, the progress since their previous meeting has been palpable. Through six games, Maiava has thrown only two interceptions, while Pro Football Focus has charged him with just five turnover-worthy throws out of 172 attempts.
That improvement has made a major difference for USC’s passing attack, which has so far this season been the most explosive in college football. Maiava is averaging 10.8 yards per attempt, which not only leads the nation this year, but would rank among the best over the past five years.
He has yet to be tested, though, by a defense as aggressive as Notre Dame. While the Irish have allowed opponents to pile up a ton of passing yards through the season’s first half, they’ve also been among the most opportunistic when it comes to takeaways. Their 11 interceptions through six games ranks second in the nation.
Maiava knows he can’t afford to let that trend continue if USC has hopes of knocking off its rival on the road.
“I think of it in terms of just getting back in that film room, locking into the calls, trusting where my eyes need to be and continuing to make the right decision,” Maiava said.
In a rivalry matchup where the margins are often incredibly thin, one wrong decision from Maiava could make the difference — both Saturday and in USC’s season as a whole. The fact that rain is in the forecast could only make matters more difficult.
But the results so far this season suggest that Maiava is up to that challenge.
“I think it’s mostly just experience,” Riley said. “He’s playing the game more now than just running plays, and I think he has a great understanding of when he can be aggressive.”
Here’s what else to watch as No. 20 USC travels to South Bend, Ind. to take No. 13 Notre Dame on Saturday night.
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A tremendous tandem
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Stopping the run has been a hallmark of USC’s defense through six games. But on Saturday, the Trojans improved front will be tested by one of the better running back tandems in college football.
Notre Dame’s leading rusher, Jeremiyah Love, is widely considered to be the top running back available in the upcoming NFL draft. USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has an idea of why.
“Explosive plays,” Lynn said. “He has the ability to take the ball to the house every time he touches the ball. And he’s not just a threat on the ground. He’s a threat in the passing game too. He’s someone who we need to know where he’s at all the time.”
Jadarian Price, Notre Dame’s No. 2 back, is no slouch, either. Price is averaging 6.7 yards per carry this season. Together, they’ve combined for 15 rushing touchdowns.
But it was just last week that USC shut down one of the nation’s best rushing attacks, holding Michigan to just 109 yards on the ground, a season low.
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A battered USC backfield
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When USC lost Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders to serious injuries within a quarter of each other last Saturday, its backfield situation looked pretty dire. But in stepped King Miller, a preferred walk-on who looked like a star in a 158-yard breakout performance against Michigan’s vaunted front.
So, with another top-tier run defense on tap, can Miller do it again?
If all goes as planned, he won’t have to. Miller has been getting the most reps in practice this week. But with sophomore running back Bryan Jackson another week healthier, he should also share more of the load Saturday.
Even freshmen Harry Dalton and Riley Wormley may play a part as USC tries to settle into its new reality with the rushing attack.
“With our running back situation, obviously anyone and everyone is certainly an option,” Riley said.
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Will lightning strike twice?
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Thunderstorms are expected to roll into South Bend just before USC and Notre Dame are scheduled to kick off. At the very least, rain seems like a certainty through most of Saturday night.
Depending on its strength, the rain could seriously impact how Saturday’s game is played, potentially taking the passing attacks out entirely. Lightning, meanwhile, could jeopardize whether the game is even played.
A rain-soaked style of game would presumably favor the Irish and their dynamic backfield over the Trojans, who enter the game with a walk-on now leading the way.
The post USC vs. Notre Dame: Jayden Maiava eager to avenge last season’s showing against Irish appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
