Within the final gasps of an in any other case misplaced season, USC’s new quarterback trotted onto the sphere Saturday afternoon as a towering 6-foot-5 image of hope. Any final probability of the Trojans salvaging their season — or no less than securing a bowl bid — rested on his broad shoulders.
The burden of the second was what Jayden Maiava had transferred to USC to search out within the first place. Nothing had been assured when he dedicated greater than 10 months earlier, becoming a member of a USC offense that already had a presumptive starter in Miller Moss. The lengthy wait had solely amped up the anticipation since, as Maiava advised himself to “fall in love” with the method, ready his flip. However now the method had led him right here, with all hope of USC ending the season on a excessive observe abruptly hinging on his rocket proper arm.
That hope wavered and wobbled all through a 28-20 win over Nebraska, as USC’s new quarterback seemed equally dynamic and confounding at completely different junctures. Backbreaking errors gave strategy to comeback scores. Landing drives gave strategy to lengthy lulls on offense.
However after Maiava fumbled away one drive deep in USC’s personal territory, and the Trojans’ particular groups squandered one other with a blocked kick, Maiava stood behind the road on fourth and one, simply throughout midfield. It felt like a well-recognized fourth-quarter turning level for a workforce that had so many instances let late leads slip away.
However as wideout Zachariah Department sprinted into movement, Maiava faked the pop cross and took off to his left, pitching the ball to operating again Woody Marks, who sprinted 34 yards.
4 performs later, Maiava scampered into the tip zone for the game-sealing landing.
It was a powerful end to what was, at instances, an erratic debut for Maiava who opened the afternoon with a pick-six.
He bounced again in an enormous method from there, throwing for 3 touchdowns and 249 yards in his first begin at USC (5-5, 3-5 Massive Ten).
But it surely was operating again Marks who as soon as once more proved to be the steadying hand, at the same time as a brand new quarterback took the reins. Marks ran for 146 yards on 19 carries to go together with six catches for 39 yards.
Nonetheless, the story was Maiava, who grew to become the primary quarterback of Polynesian descent to start out at quarterback for USC.
It took all of two performs for the Trojans to check Maiava’s huge arm, as he twice let it fly deep on USC’s first drive. But it surely took some time longer for USC and its new quarterback to search out any semblance of rhythm.
Maiava dug the Trojans a gap to climb out of first. With stress from Nebraska (5-5, 2-5) closing in on the quarterback on an early third-and-long state of affairs, Maiava floated a panicked cross over receiver Kyle Ford and straight to Nebraska cornerback — and former Trojan — Ceyair Wright, who returned the interception for a 49-yard landing.
It was as disquieting of a begin as USC may have imagined for its new quarterback. After two drives, Maiava was a meager two for seven with a crushing pick-six — regarding sufficient to hush a Coliseum crowd that hoped he may be the reply to what ailed USC’s offense.
However any existential panic ignited by that sluggish begin in the end was short-lived. Dismissing the interception, Maiava threaded the needle on a essential third-down cross to Ford for 18 yards.
Then, on a mad-dash scramble to his proper, Maiava threw up a downfield prayer to Duce Robinson, who got here again to the ball for a miraculous reception.
Maiava completed the drive only one play later with a six-yard display to Department, who punched in his first landing in additional than a 12 months.
Maiava seemed even sharper the following time the Trojans touched the ball, as he accomplished 5 passes in a row, the final of which Kyron Hudson pulled down for a 12-yard rating.
What started with a two-for-seven whimper had was a scorching nine-for-nine stretch for Maiava. However simply as quickly as he appeared to have the offense transferring, the Trojans as soon as once more floor to a halt.
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The following three USC drives yielded simply 39 complete yards, with each groups buying and selling principally empty possessions. Nebraska did not make USC pay with an 11-play drive, It might take Robinson operating huge open down the seam to interrupt by way of the stalemate, as Maiava floated a contact cross to the wideout, who ran 49 yards untouched into the tip zone.
That rating would hold the Trojans forward, even amid an up-and-down second half that noticed a discipline objective blocked and a fumble misplaced by Maiava.
It might take one final defensive cease for the Trojans to lastly put Nebraska away, as Grasping Vance intercepted a cross from Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola as time expired.
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Instances.