Will Jayden Maiwa and Hussain Longstreet remain USC quarterbacks?

In his final two Decembers at USC, Lincoln Riley faced an important decision at quarterback: Pursue a new passer in the portal or trust the one next in line?

In any case, Riley chose to keep the quantity known. But as his fourth regular season at USC approaches on Saturday against UCLA, the coach could face a more complicated hurdle at the position this season.

Back it up with Jayden Maiwa, who was statistically one of the most accomplished passers in college football this season? Or turn the page to five-star Lightning freshman Hassan Longstreet, who isn’t willing to wait too long for his shot as USC’s starter?

It’s a question that has baffled many coaches during the transfer portal era, as the perception of a top quarterback prospect patiently waiting his turn has become less and less. Of the top dozen quarterbacks in the 2024 class, six have already transferred. From 2023, it is seven of the top 12. From 2022, it is eight. And of those who remain, only a few are still waiting to start as sophomores.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava looks for an open receiver during the win over Michigan on Oct. 11 at the Coliseum.

(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)

It’s not yet clear if that will be the case with Longstreet. But Riley this week made a clear appeal for the young passer’s patience when asked about the challenge of convincing the top prospect to stay in the reserve role.

“For any player, especially a quarterback, I don’t know if it’s the right time to leave,” Riley said. “This thing is getting better. And I think a lot of people recognize that, both in what we have now and what we’re bringing, where this thing is going.”

Speaking to Longstreet’s situation, Riley pointed to his track record with quarterbacks waiting their turn.

“Other than Jalen Harts, we haven’t had any quarterback that came in and was the guy right away,” Riley said, referring to his Heisman-winning quarterback at Oklahoma. “Every one of them, all the guys who did all the work, they all had that time. And if you ask them now, maybe they wanted to play, of course, they were competitive, but if you ask them now, they’re all very happy that they had the time and it makes a big difference. Because when it was their time, they were ready.”

USC quarterback Hussain Longstreet scores a touchdown against Missouri State on Aug. 30 at the Coliseum.

(Luke Hills/Getty Images)

Mayava is more than just a guardian. He leads the Big Ten in passing yards (3,174), while also leading USC in rushing touchdowns (6). Under Maiava and his ball, USC’s offense returned to its rightful place as college football’s most explosive organization, producing 51 plays of 20-plus yards, fourth-most in the nation.

There’s no reason on paper to think Riley would be interested in replacing Mayava, who has revitalized both the read-option game and the downfield side of his offense since taking over for Miller Moss last season. But talk of USC’s future at the position was complicated by the second half of the season, in which Maiava ran up against tough competition.

During the first six games, Maiwa seems to have taken a big step. He completed 72% of his passes, a 12 percent increase from last year. He averaged 11 yards per attempt, two yards better than Caleb Williams in his Heisman-winning season. Additionally, after promising to cut down on turnovers, Mayawa has thrown just two interceptions in those six games, showing a great understanding of the game and rally offense.

“A very high percentage of our plays, he knows what to do and where to go with the ball,” Riley said. “He’s very comfortable with what we’re doing. Very focused, confident in his reads. That’s why he’s been so effective all year.”

A strong start earned serious NFL interest. Pro Football Focus recently ranked Mayawa as the No. 5 draftable quarterback in next year’s draft. But the second half of his season has raised some questions — not only about whether Maiava is ready to declare for the draft, but also whether he’s the right quarterback for Riley to prioritize next season.

Against three of the nation’s top 11 defenses against the pass — Oregon, Iowa and Nebraska — Mayawa failed to maintain the same consistency from the first half. His completion rate, over his last five outings, is just over 59% — lower than his 2024 tenure as USC’s starter. Mayawa’s turnovers have also tripled during that stretch (6), while he’s averaging just over three yards per attempt (7.64).

Riley said Tuesday that Mayava’s woes were due to the quality of the defense he faced — and the circumstances that forced USC’s offense to run downfield.

“We continued to score points and win games and be one of the best offenses in the country, and he was a big part of that,” Riley said. “He’s still learning. He can play well. But he gives us a chance to win every week.”

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava points to teammates during a win at Iowa on Nov. 15.

(Mark J. Terrell/Associated Press)

He will also have a chance in the coming weeks to consider whether he wants to enter the draft.

Longstreet, meanwhile, will continue to see the job as the No. 2 quarterback. He appeared in four games, completing 13 of 15 passes, en route to a redshirt season. That wait, Riley said, was necessary.

“It was a very valuable year for him — serving as a backup quarterback, learning, just kind of being there to see all of those things,” Riley said. “It’s just things you can’t imitate. It gives you a chance to see these different situations, how it happens, to be able to bounce back, like, ‘What are you going to do? How are you going to handle it?’

“The hope is that you might learn, ‘Well, I’m not one to play, but when I am, I know exactly what I need to do or what I don’t need to do.’ It may be in the field. It may be about leadership. It could be about different things.”

USC quarterback Hussain Longstreet is pulled out of bounds by Illinois’ Miles Scott on Sept. 27 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.

(Justin Casterlin/Getty Images)

When Longstreet will get the chance to use that knowledge remains to be seen. But his teammates were impressed by what they saw.

“Hasan is a machine, really,” freshman Tanuk Haynes said. “He threw this thing about 80 [yards]then turn around and run 4.3, 4.2.

Others were more encouraging of the quarterback they hope remains a part of USC’s plans.

“He’s destined for greatness,” guard Kelvin Miller said of Longstreet. “Every time I see him out there, I tell him, keep doing what you’re doing, you’re going the way you are right now, you’re going to be fine.”