"Lincoln Riley has a history" - CFB analyst reveals if USC QB Jayden Maiava's can win Heisman Trophy in 2025

Lincoln Riley is an offensive genius, and the coach of USC. He earned national acclaim during his time with the Oklahoma Sooners, where he trained Heisman Trophy winners Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield. He was also instrumental in Caleb Williams' Heisman Trophy win in 2022 with the Trojans.

Riley's reputation as a quarterback whisperer is set in stone, and it was likely a factor that convinced Jayden Maiava to take his talents to USC in 2024. Ahead of the 2025 campaign, college football analyst Tom Fornelli talked about Maiava's chances of winning the Heisman Trophy in 2025.

"At a different Sports Book (not FanDuel), you can find USC quarterback Jayden Maiava at 70-1, and the thought process here is pretty simple," Fornelli said on Monday, via the "Cover 3 Podcast." "I don't think that it's going to happen."

However, he added that the 70-1 odds could be a value pick if Maiva performs well next season.

"But, Lincoln Riley tends to do well with quarterbacks," Fornelli said. "Lincoln Riley has a history of winning the Heisman with quarterbacks. USC has a history of its quarterbacks winning the Heisman. If somehow it does click and USC is back, and USC is competing at the top of the Big Ten, then odds are Jayden Maiava will be a big part of why they're doing it.

"And he'll be putting very impressive numbers. So I do believe getting him at 70-1 right now provides interesting value. I do not expect it to cash but if it does you'll feel pretty happy about it."

Maiava is entering his second season with the Trojans after spending the first two years of his collegiate career with the UNLV Rebels. He's looking to repay Riley's faith in him as he aims to make the most of a starting role.

What are Lincoln Riley's QB, Jayden Maiava's Heisman Trophy odds?

According to Tom Fornelli on the "Cover 3 Podcast," a different sportsbook gave Jayden Maiava 70-1 odds of winning the Heisman next season. These are decent odds for a Lincoln Riley quarterback to take home the trophy.

Maiava is no stranger to awards, as he was the 2023 recipient of the MW Freshman of the Year Award. He will be tasked to lead the USC Trojans to the expanded College Football Playoff despite being part of the stacked Big Ten Conference.

Quarterbacks have won seven of the last 10 Heisman Trophies. The only exceptions in the last decade are Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter (2024), Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith (2020) and Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry (2015).

Maiava is aiming to be the first USC signal-caller to win it since Caleb Williams in 2022.