The USC Trojans produced an overpowering performance in the first half against San Jose State, taking a 28-0 lead. They took their foot off the gas pedal in the second half, but there were a handful of notable performances from bright stars that should generate confidence and excitement for the rest of the season.
Here are the biggest studs from the USC Trojans' first game of the season:
Jayden Maiava
Jayden Maiava was not given the keys to fully light it up in this game. Lincoln Riley wanted to run the ball in the first quarter. The main priority was to build confidence in the young guys in their debut, and that is exactly what Maiava did. He got everyone involved. Although he made a few mistakes, he was still able to put up great production in this game. Maiava showed
exactly what he needed to, and most importantly, he showed he is capable of leading an offense lacking experience. Maiava finished the game with 286 passing yards, 3 total touchdowns, 1 on the ground, and was 25-for-29. That is perfect production for a quarterback with his sights set on the Heisman.
King Miller
It took some time for King Miller to find his rhythm, but later on in the game, he looked just like the player he was last season. King Miller finished the game with 15 carries for 63 yards and had a 4-yard touchdown. King Miller put on more weight this offseason, and you could really tell in this game, with his physicality standing out in some runs. His downhill running looked much improved as well. Lincoln Riley had a vanilla game plan for the offense, but you saw enough flashes to believe that King Miller is in for a big season this year, even with Waymond Jordan getting a nice workload himself.
Trent Mosley
Trent Mosley was the star of this game, and he shined in many areas. He showed he can be an elite target who will get yards after the catch. He also showed he can make some big catches. His ability in the return game is going to be super valuable for the Trojans this season. He will have at least one return for a touchdown this year, and he might even get that prior to the challenging part of the Trojans' schedule. Mosley made it known in Game 1 that he will be very pivotal to the Trojans' success this year.
Jadyn Ramos
Ramos is not a true freshman like other standouts, as he saw some reps in a few games last season. He was still one of the young guys who put on a show versus the Spartans. Ramos got his first career sack Saturday. Ramos also finished the game with two solo tackles and a tackle for loss. With injuries to the Trojans' defensive line, it is very encouraging to see young guys step up and fill that void. Ramos took full advantage of his opportunity, and he could now be in prime position to carve out a further role for himself in the rotation.
Jide Abasiri
Abasiri was named a captain for this season, and he has had extreme excitement around his name this season. He lived up to that in Game 1, making some big-time plays. Abasiri lived in San Jose State's backfield in this game, completely wreaking havoc. Abasiri had 4 total tackles, 2 solo, and 2 tackles for a loss in the first game of the season. The tackles for loss he made held a lot of weight. His first tackle for a loss shut the door on a scoring opportunity for the Spartans early in the game on 4th down in the red zone. Abasiri is a tone setter, and if he can continue to make plays like that, the Trojans will have a good shot versus their Big Ten counterparts.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Micah Huff's biggest studs from USC Week 1 game vs San Jose State
