One Statistic That Should Give USC Fans Reason for Optimism
The USC Trojans will be getting back many key pieces from their 2025 team. According to CBS Sports, USC has the No. 10 most returning snaps for the 2026 season.
USC Returning 15 Starters From 2025
The USC Trojans are returning 56 percent of their snaps form last season. This ranks No. 10 in all of college football. The only other Big Ten conference team ranked above them are the Maryland Terrapins at No. 2 with 65 percent of their 2025 snaps returning for 2026.
For USC, they have 15 starters returning. This includes their starting quarterback, Jayden Maiava. Maiava is entering his fourth collegiate season. He signed with the UNLV Rebels as a three-star recruit in their 2023 high school recruiting class.
As a freshman for UNLV in 2023, Maiava threw for 3,085 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Maiava helped led the Rebels to an overall record of of 9-5. He was named Second-team All-Mountain West and the Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
After just one season there, Maiava entered the portal and transferred to the USC Trojans for the 2024. In his first season under coach Lincoln Riley, Maiava started out as a backup to starting quarterback Miller Moss. He saw very limited playing time until Riley decided to switch things up late in the season.
Maiava started the final four games of the season for USC in 2024, leading them to a 3-1 record. For the whole season, he threw for 1,201 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Maiava also had four rushing touchdowns.
In 2025, Maiava came into the season as the starter. He took advantage of the season , throwing for 3,711 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Maiava also had 157 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. He was named Third-team All-Big Ten.
Maiava wasn't projected to be an early round 2026 NFL Draft selection, but there was still an opportunity to him to declare. He decided to run it back for at least one more year with USC. The Trojans offense has their quarterback back for a second straight season, which will raise expectations even higher in Los Angeles.
A player that Maiava began to build chemistry with as the season went along was wide receiver Tanook Hines. Hines will be back at USC for his sophomore season in 2026. He had 34 receptions for 561 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman for USC in 2025. These two have the opportunity to be one of the best quarterback-receiver tandems in the country.
On the defensive side of the ball, USC will be getting back their leading tackler from 2025 in linebacker Desman Stephens II. Stephens led the team with 89 total tackles.
While 56 percent of their roster is returning, there are still going to be new faces. It's unclear how much of a role USC's top ranked 2026 high school recruiting class will play right out of the gates, but there is the potential for some freshmen to contribute.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as One Statistic That Should Give USC Fans Reason for Optimism.
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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 8:00 PM.