Caleb Williams, the standout University of Southern California quarterback, is gearing up for a monumental sophomore season with his sights set on defending his Heisman Trophy and winning the national championship.
Despite an extraordinary individual performance that earned him the Heisman and the coveted status of being the consensus top prospect in the 2024 NFL draft, Williams is driven by the team’s unfulfilled goals from last season.
The Trojans exciting debut under the guidance of Head Coach Lincoln Riley ended on a bittersweet note as they narrowly missed out on securing a Playoff spot.
The sting from their bitter defeat to rival Utah in the Pac-12 title game hasn’t gone away.
Reflecting on the past season, Williams expressed his determination to lead the Trojans to greater heights this fall.
“We’ve got a lot to go get this year,” Williams declared. “Everyone has the same goal and mindset this year. A whatever-it-takes kind of mindset to get all of what we want. It’s going to be a good year. Can’t wait.”
Caleb Williams (so far)
• 469/711
• 66%
• 6,449 Passing Yards
• 63 Passing TDs (9 INTs)
• 824 Rushing Yards
• 16 Rushing TDs pic.twitter.com/B3LrItzjc6— College Football Report (@CFBRep) August 11, 2023
With a strong emphasis on leadership, Williams is poised to steer the #6 USC Trojans towards national championship contention.
Riley, who orchestrated a remarkable rebuilding project resulting in an impressive 11-3 record last year, is fully committed to the team’s continued development.
“We knew that it was going to be a little bit of a journey, right?” Riley acknowledged. “You can make dramatic changes, but not everything. We were proud of what we did in year one, but certainly very focused on what we felt like year two could be.”
The Caleb Williams hype has gotten to be too much, like way too much pic.twitter.com/r3ntxGpRUq
— Nick Cross is back ColtsGuy (@ColtsGuy505) August 10, 2023
While the Trojans enter the season as true contenders, challenges lie ahead as they face their usual tough opponents like Oregon, Washington and Notre Dame.
Adding an extra layer of significance to the season, USC’s decision to move to the Big Ten in 2024 has cast a shadow over the Pac-12 conference. The Trojans storied history within the conference has them positioned as the preseason favorite to clinch their final Pac-12 crown.
Williams will attempt to become just the second player in college football history to win back-to-back Heisman Trophies. Of course, Ohio State running back Archie Griffin is the only player to do so (1974 & 1975).
Do you think Williams will win back-to-back Heisman Trophies?
Will USC make the Playoff?
Can they possibly win the national championship? Or will their defense prevent them from being a true, legitimate contender?