Caleb Williams' Historic USC Career Likely Over
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams' decorated college football career appears to be over. Per head coach Lincoln Riley, the USC quarterback will not play in the Holiday Bowl on December 27 and with the NFL Draft early entry deadline on January 15, the predicted top choice has likely played his last game for the Trojans.
Although he has hinted at his Draft entry as a "game-time decision," Williams is expected to be heading to the NFL. After following up his Heisman season with 3,633 passing yards and 40 total touchdowns this year, the junior has nothing left to prove on the field. Unfortunately, the Trojans finished a disappointing 7-5, losing five of their last six games.
“This was one of my most important years of playing football so far,” Williams told The Los Angeles Times. “I’ve never been in this situation, where I’m 7–5 and there are no playoff hopes at the end of the season. I’m dealing with it emotionally, dealing with it spiritually and physically. … I’ve had to have talks with [coach] Lincoln [Riley]—because obviously I haven’t been through it—or with my family members or people like that, just how to deal with this and lead, how to stay the same person I was before the season or after our first loss or second loss. So it was different. It was a learning process.”
Williams' legacy on the field, will be as one of USC's best players ever, who unfortunately never got the chance to play in a playoff game or even win a conference title. His impact off the field - especially in the NIL space - is etched in history as an innovator and trailblazer.
In conjunction with his transfer to USC in early 2022 - following Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma - Williams burst onto the NIL scene in new ways like nobody before. Beyond his deals with big brand like Beats by Dre and Fanatics, it was his investment in male grooming brand Faculty and partnership with Beverly Hills-based real estate private equity fund Hawkins Way Capital, that differentiated the quarterback before he even took his first snap for the Trojans. No athlete in NIL was doing these types of deals at the time, or even exploring how to create long-term opportunities that could last well beyond their athletic careers.
But once he stepped onto USC's campus - yet before he had his incredible success on the field - Williams leveraged NIL opportunities to support his teammates, other Trojan athletes and the unsung heroes around the university. From gifting Beats by Dre headphones to athletes and school maintenance staff alike to setting his offensive line up with NIL deals and trips to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, Williams was the ultimate NIL team player. As he continued to have on and off-field success - including national TV campaigns with Dr Pepper, Nissan and Wendys at one time - Williams may have been the most visible college athlete of all-time.
Scaling his impact in the community, Williams' work building his Caleb Cares foundation - that partnered with Dr Pepper last week to gift $100,000 in future college tuition - continues to promote the elimination of bullying, increased mental health awareness and youth empowerment. No other athlete has made that commitment to leveraging their own NIL to support others.
While Williams will be remembered for his incredible performance on the field, it's his off the field impact - building his own business portfolio in unique ways, supporting those around him and impacting the next generation - that sets his apart as one of the all-time great college athletes.
