There were some concerns from Game 1 against San Jose State, but many USC Trojans showed this season should be a big year for them. Jayden Maiava was at the forefront of that with a very encouraging performance. He led the way. Defensive captain Jide Abasiri is elevating the defense the most.
Here is my breakdown for the USC Trojans whose stock is going up and whose stock is going down after Week 0:
Stock up:
Jayden Maiava, quarterback
Jayden Maiava had a great Game 1 performance for many reasons. Maiava showed he can be exactly what this young offense needs. A leader, cool, calm, and collected. Even though Lincoln Riley kept things simple, Maiava still showed that, at the bare minimum, he can put up at least 200 yards with ease. Maiava gave great confidence that he can get
the job done, even when his playmakers are still finding their rhythm. That will bode well for the rest of the season.
King Miller, running back
King Miller is the most productive player opposite Jayden Maiava, who returned this season on offense. He picked up right where he left off in Game 1, with great production. Only this time, he has put on more weight. His physicality and improvement running downhill were evident. King Miller sharing carries this season will not limit or reduce his production this year.
Trent Mosley, wide receiver
Mosley was the star of the show and the best player on the field for the Trojans. He showed that he can be a reliable target for Jayden Maiava. The chemistry was definitely off for Maiava and his young weapons. Until Mosley started getting targets. It is early, but Mosley very well could already be the Trojans' best playmaker. He gave USC nothing but excitement for what he is going to do the rest of the season.
Corey Simms, wide receiver
Corey Simms has to be a player who is still flying under the radar, even after a solid performance. With all the talent on the offense, Simms is getting overlooked; however, Hiowever he can be a very valuable target for Jayden Maiava. He has a big frame at 6 foot 3, 205 lbs. He can make cntested catcges, and he will fight for extra yards. He is the perfect complement to the many smaller and faster receivers the Trojans have. In game 1, Simms had 4 catches for 42 yards. Simms had a great camp, and he kept the momentum going with his performance in Game 1.
Jide Abasiri, defensive tackle
Abasiri was the Trojans' best defender on Saturday. Abasiri had 2.5 tackles for a loss and 4 total tackles in the game. He was a force in the backfield consistently. He made a statement on Saturday that he is the guy.
Luke Wafle, defensive end
Wafle didn't manage to get a sack, but he still showed great promise. He disrupted a play, almost forcing a sack and a safety early in the game. It will be only a matter of time until Wafle is finishing plays like an elite pass rusher. The freshman definitely stood out in Game 1. Wafle finished the game with 2 tackles, 0.5 tackles for a loss, and a pass deflection. The confidence in this highly touted freshman should be high.
Stock down:
Entire secondary
The secondary for USC struggled big time. The pass rush obviously did not make this easier for the Trojans' secondary. However, guys like Jontez Williams and promising young players did not shine in this game. Luke Weaver managed to throw for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns. That is unacceptable. If that is the performance USC's back end will post vs San Jose State, they will be in trouble against Oregon.
Kam Crawford, defensive end
No Braylon Shelby or Jahkeem Stewart. It was expected that a veteran guy on the defensive line would step up. Senior Crawford only managed to get 1 tackle in the game Saturday. As the Trojans' starting guy off the edge, he needs to step it up. He needs to be dominant for USC to have defensive success.
Linebacker play
The Trojans' linebackers, for the most part, had good tackle production. However, there were many plays where they allowed big gains. Linebackers were not on the same page with their run fits. Against a better rushing team like Ohio State or Oregon, USC will struggle mightily with this type of performance.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football stock up and stock down report before Fresno State
