PROVO — Sol-Jay Maiava apparently fits the bill of what BYU wants in a quarterback, but how long will it take him to contribute on the field?
The 6-foot, 185-pound prospect signed with BYU as a three-star prospect out of St. John’s College High in the Washington, D.C., area, where he competed against some of the top programs in the country and was pursued by a bevy of schools, including Michigan, Utah, Oregon and Virginia, among others.
Maiava began his prep career at Kahuku High in Laie, Hawaii, before enrolling at St. John’s, where he rose to be named an Elite 11 quarterback combine finalist. He’ll arrive at BYU for the 2020 season and begin to compete immediately at one of the Cougars’ deepest current positions.
So what can fans expect from Maiava?
Expectations should be tempered with regard to immediate contributions, given BYU’s trio of top quarterbacks, which include junior Zach Wilson and sophomores Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney.
We broke down Maiava’s film with former BYU football player Ben Criddle, who also hosts “Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle” on espn960.
What are your overall impressions of Sol-Jay Maiava?
“He’s an athlete playing quarterback. He’s extremely elusive and shows great footwork in the pocket where he extends plays while keeping his eyes downfield. He tries to make plays with his arm first, despite his ability to run and make yards that way. He doesn’t want to run unless there’s wide-open space.
“He plays at a school with other top athletes, which elevates his game, but he’s also going against some of the toughest teams in high school football, so he comes in understanding what it takes to succeed at a high level, to some degree. He’s fast, but he’s also strong and can break tackles in the pocket and when he’s scrambling.
“He steps into the pocket nicely and his mechanics show that he ‘Russell Wilsons’ the ball a bit, which means he runs around with the ball in one hand. It’s a good thing in that it indicates that he has big hands, but also, it’s not a good technique as far as ball security goes.
“He needs to tighten up his mechanics to improve his velocity on the ball because arm strength is the biggest question mark he has. I like that he consistently shows an ability to avoid hits, which has been a problem with BYU quarterbacks recently. You simply need to avoid contact at the position and stay healthy at the next level, which quarterbacks at BYU haven’t been able to do as much as you’d like.”
What former BYU player does he remind you of?
“I’d have to go with a current player and that player is Jaren Hall. That’s the easiest comparison, but his body size and how he plays really reminds me of Jaren, and that should excite BYU fans.”
What should be his expectations for this coming season?
“His goal should be becoming the scout team quarterback. He can get reps against the top defense and that will be a great experience for him. He needs to fight for that spot and show that he’s a leader that can set the tone on the scout team.
“If he can prove to create competition that pushes those who are on the first and second teams, then that elevates everyone and give Sol-Jay the opportunity that he can lead. That should be his goal, as it’s unrealistic to believe he can break into the depth chart initially, given the depth at the position.
“Even though he’s a great athlete, I like him staying at quarterback because of the time he’s put in and he’s the type of athlete BYU wants playing the position. He’ll fit right with what BYU wants on offense, which is a great thing and I love his potential to become a top college quarterback.”