USC’s Big Ten Media Day Dream Team Heads to Chicago
Quarterback Jayden Maiava and defensive linemen Jide Abasiri and Alex VanSumeren will represent USC at the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days in Chicago alongside coach Lincoln Riley. Maiava returns after skipping the 2026 NFL Draft, posting 3,711 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, plus 157 rushing yards and six scores. The defensive line boasts depth with Abasiri (3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, 26 tackles) and VanSumeren (1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, 52 tackles), supported by transfers and incoming freshmen. Riley’s history at media events includes praise for his transfer portal strategy before pivoting to high school recruiting, which netted USC the No. 1 class in 2026 and a strong California-focused pipeline.
Welcome to the greatest show on turf, where USC sends three gladiators to Chicago for media day—because nothing screams “we mean business” like a quarterback who only got drafted in his own imagination and defensive linemen whose stats sound like someone left the decimal off the big board. Lincoln Riley will marvel at how much better he looks in conference swag than the Big Ten’s usual suspects. Meanwhile, Abasiri and VanSumeren will practice sneering at reporters while secretly hoping someone mentions deep-dish pizza. All hail the Trojan press tour, where every soundbite is politeness wrapped in full-contact publicity.
Crosstown Clash for Trojan Legacy Recruit
USC is vying with crosstown rival UCLA to land four-star safety Chauncey Washington II, son of former Trojans running back Chauncey Washington. After summer workouts and a June 11 offer, USC still awaits his decision, as UCLA made its pitch in May. Washington II, a 2028 recruit with offers from Arizona, Cal, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Washington, and Hawaii, grew up Bruins-obsessed despite his father’s USC legacy. He cited UCLA’s new coach Bob Chesney—Sun Belt Coach of the Year 2025—and a 2027 class heavy on California talent as factors. USC faces a broader challenge: retaining in-state stars after losing wide receiver Austin Miller to Ohio State and balancing its own top-10 2027 class with future targets in 2028 and 2029.
Behold the modern recruitment ritual: campus tours timed with avocado toast brunches, offers delivered faster than Amazon Prime, and dad’s former jersey becoming a potential bargaining chip. USC and UCLA are essentially staging a gladiatorial match in a recruitment coliseum, complete with click-bait clanging and highlight-reel promises of “something special.” Will Washington II choose family dynasty or childhood loyalties? Stay tuned as the heirs to Trojan and Bruin empires negotiate everything from playbook access to priority parking. It’s like Fight Club, but with fewer broken bones and more handshake deals.
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