“I like the way we’ve prepared. I do. I feel the competitive depth across the board. The team has really had a cool, competitive mindset,” said Lincoln Riley, who has never been short on big promises. He had promised a future full of five-star recruits and a return to the Trojans’ former position as college football supremacy ever since he came to Los Angeles. When Riley first took over, USC had a great season, finishing 11-3. But things dipped slightly in 2023, with the Trojans finishing 8-5 and 7-6 overall in 2024. Now, when USC missed the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2019, the frustration reached a new dip. The head coach is therefore now setting clear expectations around his field general…

In a recent interview clip posted on X, Coach Riley expressed his confidence in Jayden Maiava, who is heading into his second season at USC, saying, “He went 3-1 against four really good defensive football teams, too. And so, yeah, excited about him. He was really good in clutch moments for us, made a lot of big plays, and that was even really before he like truly had settled into, I think, USC, our offense, everything.” In his first start for USC, Maiava passed for 259 yards and three touchdowns, showing his ability to perform in clutch moments under pressure.

Riley has clearly noticed a shift in his confidence since last season. “He did a great job taking over, but I think this guys right sitting here today is a much different player than he was at that point last year. And so I think confidence in the system. I think you know, knowing his teammates, impacting the team from a leadership standpoint,” he said. Last season, he threw 1,201 yards at 59.8% completion with 11 touchdowns, and in 2023, back at UNLV, he threw 3,085 yards at 63.5% with 17 touchdowns, earning Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors. With Miller Moss‘ transferring to Louisville, Maiava is all set to take over as the starting QB, and Riley really hopes that he delivers.

“He was really clutched for us in those games… I think last year those last four games were just the kids really just scratching the surface,” Riley recalled. Last year, Maiava became the starting QB after USC decided to replace Miller Moss, and he won three of the previous four games, including a thrilling victory over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl (35–31), a victory over UCLA, and a close victory over Nebraska (28–20). The only loss was against Notre Dame. While Riley is clearly excited about Maiava’s growth this season, the coach did not hold back showing his frustration with the recent NCAA decision on DJ Wingfield‘s eligibility.

Riley voices frustration as the NCAA denies DJ Wingfield an extra year

The USC Trojans got a huge setback this offseason when DJ Wingfield did not receive the extra year of eligibility under the blanket waiver that many expected he would. The NCAA denied his waiver, and even a courtroom appeal did not help, so his college career is officially over now. That leaves USC struggling for a left guard, where Wingfield was expected to start, which is a challenge for Riley and the team.

Riley spoke out about the situation, utterly annoyed with how the NCAA handled it. “I’m a little bit at a loss for words on it, to be honest,” he said. “Your eligibility depends on what state that you’re in and which judge that you get… We’ve got a national sport that’s run by a national organization, but your eligibility depends on — which has been a huge question mark for so many people — depends on what state you’re in, what judge that you get, and what lawyer that you have in your trial.”

Riley went on to express how equally unfair it is to other players as well. “It’s sad that it’s gotten to this point. Again, I hate it, not just for DJ, but for all the different guys out there that were held in limbo for a long time. There’s too much indecision and too much going on, and not enough national direction. These kids should play. It’s heartbreaking for them, and it’s not a good look for college football.” He made it clear he’s upset not just for Wingfield but for the other players as he sees the bigger picture across college football, saying the situation is “really frustrating” for him.