"USC had lost four of five, its season already all but lost, when Lincoln Riley made a bold move early last November that would have lasting ripple effects. He benched starting quarterback Miller Moss, in favor of backup Jayden Maiava, whose big arm and mobility gave the Trojans' offense a different, more dynamic look. The sudden switch made for a tense two weeks leading up to last season's meeting with Nebraska. Not everyone in the locker room, you see, was thrilled with Moss' removal."
""The way that Jayden handled both when he wasn't the starter, then when he was, I think set the stage for the player he has started to become and what he means to this program and this team right now," Riley said this week. "He handled it with class both ways, and that makes a huge difference.""
"A season later, USC is once again searching for answers coming out of its second bye, with Nebraska looming in November. Though, none of the questions this time concern the quarterback, who has been one of the best in the Big Ten. Nor are they as easy to solve as plugging in one player. USC's defensive front was just steamrolled for over 300 yards by Notre Dame's run game. The offensive line is still dealing with nagging injuries. And the Trojans own rushing attack left a lot to be desired in their last outing."
USC enters the post-bye stretch at 5-2 but faces urgent performance issues after surrendering 306 rushing yards to Notre Dame. A previous midseason quarterback change last November — benching Miller Moss for Jayden Maiava — revitalized the offense and produced late-season wins, establishing a viable long-term quarterback option. Current problems are broader: the defensive front was dominated by the run, the offensive line is coping with nagging injuries, and the rushing attack was ineffective. The team must address multiple areas beyond quarterback play to regain momentum before a November matchup with Nebraska.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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