Utc Spring Takeaways: impressive freshmen, Jayden Maiava progress, Kamari Ramsey’s return

Los Angeles – Usc started to lay the foundations for his 2025 season when he opened spring tests on Tuesday. Trojans have three practices in the books. Here’s what we learned.

1. The five -star serial number quarterback Husan Longstreet is the newcomer most voted on the roster this spring. Jayden Maiava started four games in the offense of Lincoln Riley at the end of last season and had another season of starting experience at the UNLV. This makes it the clear favorite to be the appetizer of the opening day for USC.

But Longstreet has the potential to be the long -term response for Riley and Trojan, so it will be an important plot that goes on.

Riley observed that Longstreet had the advantage of practicing the team during the preparation of the bowl, so on Tuesday it was not his first university practice. And Longstreet participated in meetings and practices before signing, so he was prepared as a real serial number could be for his first day of spring ball.

“It is paid because it is ahead of how much most of the boys would be at this age,” said Riley. “His ability to communicate and manage the group right now as a young man is rather impressive.”

I do not take Riley’s words to signify that there is a quarterback competition, but I find interesting by comparing his thoughts on Longstreet with the way he spoke of Malachi Nellson-The other five-star to taste that he signed at the Usliche year ago.

Of course, Nelson was limited by a shoulder injury when he arrived as a first inscription, but it seemed that Riley always talked about the progress that Nelson needed to do. Nelson lasted only one year at the Us. There are still only some practices, but the tone of Riley when it comes to Longstreet is quite different.

again on the field 🔄 pic.twitter.com/qwznmfdtlk

– USC Football ✌️ (@Gushfbb) March 27, 2025

2. The other addition of Ballyhoo for the USC during the recruitment cycle was the four -star defensive guard Jahkeem Stewart, which was undoubtedly the most significant victory for the recruitment of Riley’s mandate in Los Angeles.

USC has many good players on his list. However, the Trojans need a more ceiling talent, especially along the defensive front, and the 6 feet stewart-5, 290 pounds is precisely this.

Stewart is listed as a defensive end, but has the dimensions and athleticism to take sides practically everywhere on line D.

“Physically, there is no doubt that he will have the opportunity to help,” said Riley. “It is just his progress here (on the practice field).”

Riley stressed some things that will determine how much Stewart contributes at the beginning: how it collects the playbook and how it adapts to college offensive watches. The latter will be particularly important, considering that Stewart has not played a lot of Varsity football due to transfer rules to Louisiana and the fact that he has reclassified and should now be in the second half of his last year.

Stewart came to the Uss with a lot of hype. The program probably had to invest a lot in him on the zero front. But there have been positive reviews on how it brought at the beginning.

“He is an interesting person. He works. He knows the goal,” Kameryn Fountain said the second defensive year. “He (he knew) what (he was) when he arrived here. He came to work, good person, he remained humble.”

The defensive end Junior Braylan Shelby said: “(it is) physical, really blocked. I like it where his head space is. I like where he is developing and growing. It will be a star. Soon you will see.”

3. Shelby and Fountain are two promising defensive and were both the first 100 perspectives in their respective recruitment cycles.

Shelby was asked what she worked on this offseason. “That race to pass,” he said. “We have to go home much more this season. By practicing many moves of different pass-rush.”

The Trojans closed with a miserable bag 21 last season, which ranked 92 ° at national level. While the USC had an intriguing talent on the defensive line, it was missing a real and proven passage of pass.

This was clarified abundantly every time the defense took the field late in the games that needed a stop to seal the victory but could not get off the field because she had not someone who could really stop offended in advance.

Shelby, Fountain and Lucas combined for seven career bags. If the defense of the Uss will take a step forward this season, he needs his Rusher Pass to make a significant leap.

4. Despite their need for directors on the defensive front, the Trojans should not pursue Stanford’s Rusher Edge David Bailey outside the transfer portal, according to a source informed on the matter.

Bailey had 14.5 bags, 22.5 contrasts for loss and seven forced fumbles in its three seasons with the cardinal. His game was one of the few bright points of a defense of Stanford otherwise terrible.

Bailey’s recruitment decision from Mater Ai arrived in Stanford and Usca in December 2021. Shortly after he was hired, Riley did a push and got Bailey, whose sister attended Usca, on the campus. But Stanford won.

Bailey will be one of the most sought-after players in the next transfer cycle, but the Ora-Oon-Non should be in the mix.

5. Some other news on the defensive line of the Uss: Lucas is not yet a full -practice participant after losing the second half of last season with an injury to the lower part of the leg, which requested surgery in October.

Riley said it is possible that Lucas will be able to practice this spring, but the staff will slowly take him with his initial defensive part.

“It will certainly not come into full contact, at full speed,” said Riley. “We are intelligent with it.”

Kentucky Transfer Keeshawn Silver is not yet full in practice. The 6-4 silver, 331 pounds was a significant addition this winter and figures to connect the defense of the USC. Riley recognized that the staff knew that silver required a “small cleaning” on the knee when he moved. But as for when the silver will be a practical participant, Riley said: “We’ll see”.

6. Maiava will be subjected to great control this season. This comes with the territory for any USC departure quarterback, but it is also because it was so inconsistent during its four beginnings to finish last season.

Which pig will present himself down is a big question. But this is his second year in Riley’s offense, which should take advantage of him. And this spring will begin with the awareness of being at the head of the initial quarterback race. Also repetitions consistent for the first team should help.

Riley noticed that the Redshirt Junior is safer as a player, in attack and in his relationships with his teammates.

“This is what we will need him,” said Riley.

“I arrived last year and I was a little lost in some way, but I certainly found my way of connecting with these coaches,” said Maiava. “These coaches were of great help for me, so I was more (intentional) in everything I do.”

Maiva admitted that she had happy feet when she was thrown into the initial formation. Even if he started for one season at UNLV, last year it was abundantly clear that it is still rough, especially from a technical point of view. He said this offseason offered him the opportunity to reflect on these problems during the study of cinema, and is trying to solve them on the practice field this spring.

“It’s not one who really worries about becoming complacent or not wanting to work on the areas he knows he has to attack,” said Riley. “For him, it is more similar, not to be so difficult with yourself, we will be quite difficult for you. Make sure you give you credit for the comedies you have made and also the progress you have made. So I think, for him, is a bit of that balance.”

Maia’s ability to discover that the balance will do a lot to determine the trajectory of the Uss this autumn.

8. Riley described the lineback unit as “thin”, but also expressed excitement for the talent level.

Desman Stephens II and Eric Gentry are the first to start, but I think the Trojans should hit the position in the transfer portal.

Gentry has talent and can have an impact when he is on the pitch, but he has lost multiple games due to an injury in two of his three seasons at the Us.

If there is an injury to Stephens or Gentry, the Trojans should count on some inexperienced options and would not be a fun experiment in the big ten. So this is an obvious position of need.

9. The former Lineback Elijah Newby will exercise this spring at the end of the spring. Newby looks physically 6 feet-3, 232 pounds, but USC wants to see how its athleticism translates to the limit.

“He has the talent, the mentality,” said Riley of the serial number of the red shirt. “There is certainly a role. This guy will have an impact. I think it is us and he who finds that right place.”

10. The media hadn’t talked much with Kamari Ramsey since he had decided to return to the Uss for another season instead of opt for the draft of the NFL.

“(I) Having some unfinished business, things I wanted to improve, work, put things on a tape,” said Ramsey on Thursday. “After long speeches with my family, coach (D’Anton) Lynn, coach (Doug) Belk, coach Riley, the best decision for me and my family was to return and play another year.”

Ramsey’s return was enormous for the defense of the so -called. It is an extraordinary equipment, especially in the open field, and its football Qi stands out in almost all games.

It is the lonely return appetizer in the secondary. The battle for the other initial security point should be compelling. The staff brought the Bishop of transfer of the state NC Fitzgerald, but the Junior Christian Pierce has patiently waited for his possibility and will also be listened to by the competition.

“Really, my expectations are only to give everything as I did every year,” said Pierce. “Try to make as many games as possible in special teams, such as when I get the opportunity in defense.”

(Photo by Jayden Maiava: Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)