Chris Huston (00:01.256)
Jade Myava, thanks for coming on the Heisman Trophy Podcast. I know it's not easy to come on a show like this after a tough loss, so I really appreciate it. How you doing?

Jayden Maiava (00:10.222)
Great. Thank you for having me. Super excited. Can't wait. Big week coming up next week. 

Chris Huston (00:18.6)
You know, if there's one word I would use to describe you, it's resilient. You have a habit of bringing your team back when it's down. Even though you guys didn't get the W against Illinois, you still brought them back and gave them a chance to win. It's like you have ice in your veins in those situations. Why do you think you play especially well when your team needs to rally like you did last Saturday?

Jayden Maiava (00:37.932)
Honestly, it's just the practice that we've put in the reps that, we just took very value, like how valuable every single rep is. I'm able to steal a rep when I can, mentally or physically out there doing it, can just anything that I could do to put myself in those scenarios to just go out there and just keep firing. Cuz obviously I did throw a pick which I definitely want back but the team just rallied around and they encouraged me, they came, said what's up to me and just keep firing. And so that's exactly what I did. They trusted in me, I trusted in them. So yeah, I mean, definitely disappointing loss but.

Chris Huston (01:23.23)
You know, in that situation, does your head get clear? Does, do you calm down more? Do you feel like maybe the need to calm down your teammates makes you calm? How do you explain being in that situation?

Jayden Maiava (01:35.382)
Yeah, I think when we're in that situation, obviously a little adversity that we're facing. But I think the biggest emphasis that I try to get to the teammates was just, you know, executing routine plays and just doing what we we've been practicing and what we've been doing leading up to this moment. know, people sometimes just get caught up in the moment. So I think this team is just had like offensively and defensively just been doing such a great job.

Chris Huston (02:06.216)
Yeah, you hit some pretty incredible throws on Saturday, especially to Makai Lemon. Set the scene for me for that go-ahead touchdown you threw in the fourth quarter to him. Was the play always going to him or did you have the option to throw his way? Kind of set the scene for me. Tell me what was going on.

Jayden Maiava (02:20.332)
Yeah, so going to that specific play, was like a play action fake. We had worked different looks into it. The look that I was getting that I was presented out there was a look that I wanted to get our single receiver Tanook Hines the ball. But the safety was kind of floating over there and presence that a little bit to help out that corner on that side. And I think we were on the right hash at the time. you know, Lem's on the left side, with all that room on inside fade for him, it's it's routs on air just being able to go out there and execute and somebody like him, he's always gonna come down with the ball.

Chris Huston (02:57.246)
Yeah, can you do that play without having an incredible chemistry and connection with the receiver?

Jayden Maiava (03:03.758)
It'll be tough, but I think definitely it's just like you said, just having a chemistry that me and Lem and all these receivers and really just this team chemistry that we all have around us. It takes us long ways and it just brings out the resilience and the trust in one another.

Chris Huston (03:21.0)
Yeah. Well, you've been outstanding through five games, 1,587 yards, 11 touchdown passes, just one interception, just the one, 71 % completion. You've drastically cut down on your turnovers from last year, improved your completion rate. Those had to be some goals you had coming into the season, right?

Jayden Maiava (03:38.798)
Yeah, no doubt. I think that was the biggest thing. Just obviously just getting my feet wet a little bit at the back end of the season. You know, obviously I didn't play the way I wanted to, but I think it was a great learning experience for me and just the guys that I had around me. So I think, you know, going into the offseason, it was just all about taking care of the ball and not not giving a defense like a slight chance to even make a play on the ball whatsoever.

Chris Huston (04:05.843)
Mm-hmm.

Jayden Maiava (04:07.202)
So I think that's just been the biggest thing.

Chris Huston (04:09.875)
Yeah. How would you grade your performance so far this season?

Jayden Maiava (04:13.324)
this season?

I'd probably say a C+.

Chris Huston (04:19.709)
You're hard on yourself,

Jayden Maiava (04:21.304)
Just a little bit, just a little bit. But yeah, I think I say that because there's definitely throws that I want back, decisions that I've made that I want back. And I say that also with the leadership aspect of it. I feel like I could be better vocally. And just making the team hear my voice and feel my presence in terms of bringing the energy.

Chris Huston (04:46.012)
Mm-hmm.

Jayden Maiava (04:46.654)
know, staying consistent with that. So I think not even just my play, but me as a teammate, you know, and the character.

Chris Huston (04:53.373)
Yeah. Are you naturally an introvert, would you say?

Jayden Maiava (04:57.73)
Yeah, for sure.

Chris Huston (04:58.875)
Yeah, so it's kind of hard to get become vocal and to you prefer to lead by example, I guess,

Jayden Maiava (05:04.524)
Yeah, no doubt. definitely love leading by example. I definitely try it. I'm trying to get better at, and I will get better at just leading by, know, doing, I'm never going to say, tell a person to do something that I'm not doing myself. So I think that's just, yeah.

Chris Huston (05:20.861)
Right. You are a Lincoln-Riley quarterback, which is an esteemed position in college football history. Three Heisman Trophy winners, another Heisman runner-up, incredible offenses. What's it like being a Lincoln-Riley quarterback?

Jayden Maiava (05:36.183)
It's awesome, super fun, obviously just getting us each and every week, just the plays that he comes up with and just being able to see the versatility and his play calling and just the creativity that he does and.

I don't know if it's just me, but playing under Lincoln Riley, it makes playing QB a lot easier because of how just such a great coach that he is. It does a lot for me. So I think the biggest thing out there and that he tries to emphasize is just being decisive and doing my job the best I can and stack the winning plays as much as I can.

Chris Huston (06:18.983)
Yeah. You mentioned it being easier. What part of quarterbacking is still kind of hard and how are you dealing with it?

Jayden Maiava (06:25.566)
Definitely during the play, know, because you never know like what could happen within a play. A lot could happen. It's, you know, I kind of go in it like expecting nothing but being prepared for anything. So.


Jayden Maiava (06:40.12)
Coach Riley and the staff just do such a great job and helping us prepare for whatever is to happen. They do such a great job during practice, like putting us in different situations. So I think when it comes to that time, it's just sinking back to the level of our training and what we've been practicing.

Chris Huston
Yeah, like we mentioned, it was a tough loss, but there's a lot of football to be played. Of course, a big home game coming up against Michigan a couple of Saturdays from now. What is the mood like with the team right now? I know it's, you know, probably still recovering, but what are you guys working on to bounce back in a big way, at least mentally? What are you guys telling each other before you go out to, you know, to work on Tuesday?

Jayden Maiava (07:18.828)
Yeah, right now, I mean...

Before the season started, we all have been talking about how close this team was. And we've had a little bit of success and we've been winning games a little bit in the beginning of the season and we just experienced our first loss together. So I think like being how close we are really speaks for itself in terms of like just coming together even more and building that camaraderie even stronger. I think that's the biggest thing right now for us. I mean, obviously it's disappointing and what stands out to me is not just


Jayden Maiava (07:50.635)
the players that played feel the loss, the players that haven't really played feel the loss as well. Because, mean, that's just the brotherhood that we have. Each and every person on this team doesn't wanna see a person down at all. So I think that's what I love about this team.


Chris Huston (08:08.381)
Do you guys talk about the fact that now there is a 12-team playoff? Obviously, one of the goals is to get to the playoff. And last year, the team that won the national championship had two losses. So this doesn't change anything. You guys are still right there. Are you guys talking about that, about how that's a different thing compared to maybe when you started playing college football?

Jayden Maiava (08:27.894)
Yeah, I'm not sure if we talk about it a lot that much. Honestly, we just kind of just try to attack each and every day, one day at a time. And just have a one week season in terms of focusing on what we can control. And that's our mindset every single day to attack, how we wanna attack it.

Chris Huston (08:49.221)
Yeah. You're the first Polynesian to start at quarterback for USC. What does it mean for you to be in this position, to be a role model, and to have the success that you've had?

Jayden Maiava (08:57.218)
Yeah, it means a lot, definitely a lot to learn from, a lot to build off of. I'm excited. I can't wait to just to continue to learn and wake up every day to be able to be coached by Lincoln Riley, Coach Huard, and all those guys. Be around people like Katie Ryan and Eric and just my teammates and the brothers that I've built on this team. I'm super grateful and blessed just to be in the position that I am.

Chris Huston (09:24.787)
You know, there have been a ton of great players from your home state of Hawaii. Who are some of your favorites?

Jayden Maiava (09:35.67)
Definitely Tua Tagoalaiova

Marcus Mariota for sure. Colt Brennan. Yeah, he was a good one.

Chris Huston (09:46.065)
He was good.

Jayden Maiava (09:50.73)
Who else? want to say... Manti Te'o.

Chris Huston (09:55.101)
Mm-hmm.

Jayden Maiava (09:57.283)
You know, all those guys.

Chris Huston (10:00.499)
Of course, Marcus Mariotta is the only Hawaii player to win a Heisman. Have you ever met or talked to him?

Jayden Maiava (10:06.035)
I've, I don't think I've, no, I haven't talked to him, but the crazy thing I've worked out with him, I've like, I worked out on, but like it was all just working out. 

Chris Huston (10:15.665)
Yeah, you guys are just next to each other working out and didn't talk. Very focused, huh?

Jayden Maiava (10:06.035)
yeah, we're like six inches away from each other, but we weren't really talking. I was just kind of just sitting back observing and just, you know, how he carries himself.

Chris Huston (10:26.993)
Were you a pretty young kid then?

Jayden Maiava (10:30.031)
Yeah, think I was, I want to say I was in freshman and high school. I just had started playing quarterback, so I was, and this is when he's just doing prime time and so.

Chris Huston (10:38.899)
Sure. Was it a little intimidating to be next to someone who's like this amazing player? 

Jayden Maiava (10:44.889)
I was a little heart-struck. My palms were sweaty. It was crazy, but yeah.

Chris Huston (10:38.899)
What's something people on the mainland often miss about Hawaii athletes?

Jayden Maiava (10:56.653)
our competitiveness and just our resiliency. How resilient we are and how we'll never give up and just keep on going.

Chris Huston (11:00.989)
Mm-hmm.

Chris Huston (11:07.463)
Yeah, when you close your eyes and you think home, what part of Hawaii shows up first in your brain?

Jayden Maiava (11:10.424)
Polo Valley for sure. It's a little valley in the mountains in the back of right there by Kyle Crater Mountain right behind Waikiki. No doubt.

Chris Huston (11:25.139)
Is that someplace you used to go a lot just to hang out?

Jayden Maiava (11:30.019)
Yeah, no doubt. That's kind of where I grew up at and I've been around those guys every single day and it's a true scenery for sure.

Chris Huston (11:39.165)
Who do you call after a great game or after a bad one?

Jayden Maiava (11:42.515)
who do I call?

I don't think I call anybody to be honest. No, I just...

Chris Huston (11:49.287)
You don't have a ritual, someone you talk to to go over the game?

Jayden Maiava (11:54.639)
Coach Riley, Coach Huard, yeah, those are guys kind of we just, know, just some key takeaways from the game.

Chris Huston (12:01.265)
Yeah. If a young kid from Hawaii asked you for one piece of advice about leaving home to play college football, what would you tell them?

Jayden Maiava (12:07.855)
It's a leap of faith. Just go out there and never give up. Always just do you and be who you are and never forget where you came from.

Chris Huston (12:20.349)
What's a talent you have that very few people know about?

Jayden Maiava (12:23.757)
Ooh, I can juggle. Yeah, I can juggle like four balls at one time.


Chris Huston (12:32.647)
No way. Did you teach that yourself or did you go to a circus school? 

Jayden Maiava (12:36.461)
I taught it myself. It took a minute, I'm not going to lie, but I got it down pretty good.

Chris Huston (12:45.053)
So like if I just, if you had four balls right now, you could juggle four balls.

Jayden Maiava (12:49.935)
Probably, yeah. It's been a long time, but so I'll try my best for sure.

Chris Huston (12:55.219)
And you haven't had any thought about going for five, just taking four.

Jayden Maiava (13:01.005)
Yeah, I haven't got that yet.

Chris Huston (13:02.099)
Okay. All right, finally, if you weren't playing football, Jaden, what do think you'd be doing with your life?

Jayden Maiava (13:07.05)
that's a great question. I'd probably say just putting smiles on people's faces.

Chris Huston (13:12.915)
All right. Well, Jayden Maiava, really appreciate you coming on the Highest Ventropy podcast. Had a great season so far and look forward to seeing you play the rest of the year and good luck the rest of season to you and your teammates.


Jayden Maiava (13:23.695)
Thank you, I appreciate you. Have a good one.