After over a month of speculation, Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams has signed with USC and his former coach, Lincoln Riley. The former 5-star recruit committed to Oklahoma out of Washington, D.C. to play for Riley, a man who had produced back-to-back Heisman trophy winners in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
Williams started the year backing up the preseason Heisman favorite Spencer Rattler. After Rattler struggled through the first five games of the season, he went into the Red River Rivalry game against Texas with a lot of scrutiny from fans. When Oklahoma was down 28-7 after the first quarter, Williams came into the game and sparked the Sooners offense with a 66-yard touchdown run. Oklahoma went on to win the game 55-48 and the starting job became Williams’.
Williams helped lead Oklahoma to another 10-plus win season after taking the starting job, including a win over Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. He threw for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only four interceptions while also scoring six touchdowns on the ground. Williams announced he would enter the transfer portal following their bowl game victory, and many speculated he could reunite with his former coach at USC. That speculation became a reality today, as Williams let the college football world know where he will play in 2022 and beyond.
“I wanted to go somewhere I thought would provide me with the best development both on and off the field,” Williams told Pete Thamel of ESPN. “Getting to know Coach Riley and gaining familiarity with his offense definitely played a part in my selection, as well as already knowing some of the guys on the team.”
One of the guys Williams knows very well is Mario Williams, the former 4-star recruit who he played with at Oklahoma made the announcement a couple of weeks ago he would be headed to Los Angeles and follow his old coach.
Former Oklahoma players are not the only ones that have decided to transfer to USC, players from all over have followed Lincoln Riley to sunny California, helping the Trojans to secure the best transfer portal class in the country, according to 247Sports.
USC has been a sleeping giant for over a decade, ever since Pete Carroll left USC to coach the Seattle Seahawks back in 2009. Since Carroll’s departure the Trojans have seen three head coaches come and go due to lackluster production on the field, but the tides seem to be turning in their favor under this new regime.
With the new rules of instant eligibility, players can transfer anywhere in the country without having to sit out for a year, creating a brand-new world of college football with “free agency.”
Lincoln Riley has taken full advantage of the new rules, and now boasts a recruiting class of freshman and transfers in the top-10, not only making USC relevant in the Pac-12 but on a national scale.
With the Caleb Williams signing, Riley continues to show why he is the real deal even without coaching a single game with the Trojans. He has shown this sleeping giant is wide awake, and they are not only ready to compete for conference champions, but for national championships as well.
