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Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff Writer
A day after announcing he would transfer to Georgia, former UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava flipped his decision and will instead join USC, his father, William Maiava-Pratt, told ESPN on Tuesday night.
Maiava, a redshirt freshman this past season at UNLV, entered the transfer portal on Jan. 2 and was in contact with both Georgia and USC. His father told ESPN on Monday that his son would transfer to Georgia.
However, Maiava will now join the Trojans after coach Lincoln Riley made a final pitch.
Maiava threw for 3,085 yards and 17 touchdowns with 10 interceptions while also rushing for 277 yards and three touchdowns this past season for UNLV. He was a three-star prospect out of high school in Honolulu when he signed with the Rebels.
He has three years of eligibility remaining and is walking into a quarterback room in need of competition as USC looks to replace 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.
USC saw quarterback Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, transfer to Boise State. Backup Miller Moss started the DirecTV Holiday Bowl and threw for 372 yards, 6 touchdowns and 1 interception in place of Williams, who opted out. Moss’ performance stoked hope for what he could do as a potential starter, but the coaches didn’t sign a high school quarterback in the 2024 class and lost Nelson from the 2023 class, leaving depth as an issue.
Maiava will have the opportunity to compete with Moss for the starting job and will provide some stability at the position as the Trojans enter the Big Ten in 2024.
The flip of Maiava leaves Georgia with starter Carson Beck, backup Gunner Stockton and incoming freshman Ryan Puglisi after Brock Vandagriff transferred to Kentucky and five-star Dylan Raiola flipped to Nebraska in the 2024 cycle.
