Growing up in a valley just east of Honolulu, Jayden Maiava didn’t have access to many youth camps.
When he decided to hold one near his home over the summer, the USC quarterback didn’t think there would be much interest.
Of course, there was.
This is the star of a team that could contend for a national title.
“Crazy turnout,” Maiava said Wednesday. “I mean, I didn’t think that many kids would show up, but I mean, I think it was a phenomenal youth camp. Shout-out to the people that helped me put it together.”
The eyes of Hawaii — not to mention the entire college football world — will be locked on Maiava in the months to come.
In his second full season as the Trojans’ starting quarterback, Maiava will be the centerpiece of an offense that should once again be the team’s strength.
The entire offensive line returns. Running backs Waymond Jordan and King Miller could be the best 1-2 rushing punch in the nation. Freshman tight end Mark Bowman appears poised to make a huge impact.
And there’s plenty of potential — if not proven talent — among the wide receivers. While Tanook Hines, the only returning starter, will be sidelined for much of training camp with an unspecified injury that’s not expected to keep him out of the season opener, Maiava said he’s liked what he’s seen from the rest of a young group of receivers.
Among those vying for immediate playing time are freshmen Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Trent Mosley and Ethan “Boobie” Feaster.
“Given how young they are,” said Maiava, a redshirt senior, “you couldn’t really tell given how well they’re doing with the playbook and everything they’re doing. It’s a super special group, and I’m excited to see it on Saturdays.”
A wild card to watch is Terrell Anderson, a transfer from N.C. State who made 39 catches for 629 yards and five touchdowns last season with the Wolfpack.
Alluding to all the newcomers, coach Lincoln Riley said he liked Maiava’s ability to adapt to a new cast of receivers.
“A lot of new bodies,” Riley said. “Fortunately, he had spring and all summer with all these guys to start developing that chemistry and that confidence. But that’s going to be something we have to work at every single day.”
In another sign of his emerging stardom, Maiava was invited to serve as a counselor along with other top college quarterbacks this summer at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana. What did Maiava learn that could help him improve upon a season in which he completed 66% of his passes for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns with 10 interceptions?
“We had some film studies,” Maiava said, “ … we got to train with [other quarterbacks], and it was just a cool opportunity for me to get better.”
Perspective always helps. Like what Maiava learned leading his own youth camp.
“It kind of was like an eye-opener for me, just to see like, oh, wow, kids and the younger generation really want to get better,” Maiava said. “So I think when I was there, I was just doing what I can to share some knowledge about the game or anything off the field or kind of just be that support system for them and kind of do what I can do to help them in whatever they want to do and accomplish in life.”
Maiava’s immediate wishes aren’t hard to guess, a College Football Playoff berth sufficing in what will likely be his final season before heading to the NFL.
