USC adds first Polynesian QB in school history

When USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley landed a quarterback out of the transfer portal this week, he wasn’t just adding a player to the roster. He was making history.

Jayden Maiava, who is transferring to USC from UNLV, is the first Polynesian QB for the Trojan football team, according to the Nilx Management Group, which represents him.

“Jayden has officially committed to USC, and we couldn’t be more proud of this historic achievement,” Nilx added on X, formerly Twitter.

Maiava had initially committed to transfer to powerhouse Georgia before changing his mind, his father told ESPN Tuesday night.

Instead, Maiava will be the first Polynesian QB on a team known for producing top-tier Polynesian players, including Troy Polamalu, Junior Seau and Rey Maualuga.

This past season, Trojans Stanley Ta’ufo’ou and Tyrone Taleni were on the watch list for the 2023 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award, one year after Trojan Tuli Tuipulotu won the award. Ta’ufo’ou and Taleni lost out on the 2023 award to Utah’s Jonah Elliss.

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