Behind the Steel Curtain
As September comes to a close, it should be no surprise to anyone that the college quarterback landscape we were previewing this summer has all but flipped on its head. How’s that old saying go? That’s why they play the games.
But it’s not just our pre-season perceptions that have changed. We’ve also received an injury update this week that will sideline one of the college football season’s early stars. Let’s dive in.
The result: Michigan State 31 — USC 45
The stats: 20-26 (76.9%), 234 yards, 3 TDs, 1 Big Time Throws, 0 Turnover Worthy Plays, 7.0 ADoT, 0 sacks
4 rushes, 31 yards, 7.8 ypc, 2 TDs
Maiava didn’t receive many votes in our Quarterback Dating Game series over the summer. That isn’t too surprising, considering he took over the starting role in Week 12 last year. We just didn’t have a ton to go off of. Maiava still might be flying under the radar nationally, as USC’s games have mostly been after people on the East Coast have gone to bed.
After three relatively uncompetitive contests to open their season, Maiava and USC took their first step up in competition by outlasting a Michigan State team that was 2-1 and looks much improved in year two under head coach Jonathan Smith and quarterback Aidan Chiles. Chiles looks like he’s taken a big step forward, but probably should return to school, when he could be one of the top prospects for the 2027 draft if he continues his current trajectory. Michigan State had the game within one touchdown at the start of the 4th quarter before the Trojans pulled away to close it out.
But enough about the Spartans. Maiava is the passer I’m increasingly impressed with. If you haven’t watched much of USC this year, their offense is built around their running game, with three running backs rushing for more than 150 yards through four games: Waymond Jordan (443), Eli Sanders (250), and King Miller (152). Maiava has been expertly guiding the offense around that strength. He leads the team in rushing touchdowns (4), despite only rushing for 63 yards himself.
Maiava is mobile enough that defenses need to account for it, and he — along with Chiles — is one of my favorite college quarterbacks to watch execute play action this season. Maiava and USC have run play action on 34% of his dropbacks this year, and they’ve been highly productive doing so. On those throws, Maiava is completing 75.8% of his passes for 370 yards and 5 touchdowns, at an 8.9 average depth of target.
Maiva has looked decisive so far and, to my eye, he throws one of the more catchable balls in college. The USC offense funnels its passing attack through junior receiver Makai Lemon, but 16 different Trojans have caught a pass so far this season. Last Saturday, they scored on seven of their 10 drives. The three drives they didn’t were: on downs...
