As has been expected for weeks, the top player in college football's transfer portal, quarterback Caleb Williams, has followed his former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley to USC. The Trojans beat out the likes of Wisconsin, Georgia, UCLA and an unlikely return to OU. Williams is currently a +500 third-favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to win the 2022 Heisman Trophy, behind Alabama's Bryce Young (+250), the 2021 winner, and Ohio State' ;s CJ Stroud (+350).
“I want to get to work right away, earn the trust of my teammates, win championships and help bring USC back to being a top-rated program,” said Williams, who attended his first in-person class at USC on Tuesday and will be cleared to join team workouts in the upcoming days.
Williams didn't open last season as the starter under Riley at Oklahoma but led a comeback in the Red River Rivalry victory over Texas and kept the job from that point on – Williams did get as high as the third favorite for 2021 Heisman at one point.
The former five-star recruit out of Washington, D.C., Williams was named a true freshman All-American by sister-site 247Sports and others. He completed 115 of 184 passes (62.5%) for 1,670 yards and 18 touchdowns against four interceptions (166.7 rating) and rushed 72 times for 408 yards and six touchdowns. The passing yards and passing TDs were the most ever by an OU true freshman QB. Williams also was dynamic in an Alamo Bowl rout of Oregon.