Caleb Williams Named Maxwell Award Winner
USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the recipient of the 2022 Maxwell Award, given to the best player in college football and voted on by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, head coaches and members of the Maxwell Football Club. The Maxwell Award has been given annually since 1937.
Williams was phenomenal for the Trojans as a true sophomore. He set USC single-season records for total touchdowns (47) and total offensive yards (4,447). And his 372 rushing yards are the most for a USC quarterback in at least the last 70 years.
His 37 touchdown passes are the most in the nation this season. He was also among the top ten in passing yards, passing efficiency, passing yards per game, total offense and yards per pass attempt. USC finished among the top five national offenses in scoring, total offense and passing offense with Williams leading the way.
Williams threw for at least 340 yards in seven games this season. He threw just one interception through the first nine games of the season and finished with only four interceptions against those 37 touchdowns. And he rushed for seven of his 10 touchdowns over the final four games of the regular season. He also had the two longest runs of the season for the Trojans, going 55 yards the first time USC played Utah and then 59 yards in the Pac-12 Championship Game against the Utes.
Williams beat out fellow quarterbacks C.J. Stroud of Ohio State and Hendon Hooker of Tennessee for the Maxwell Award.
He’s the fourth USC player to take home the Maxwell Award. The first three went to running backs. O.J. Simpson won in 1968, Charles White won in 1979 and Marcus Allen won in 1981.
Heisman Trophy up Next for Williams?
Over the past eight years, only once has the winner of the Maxwell Award not gone on to win the Heisman Trophy. In the 2018 season, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa won the Maxwell Award while Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray won the Heisman Trophy.
The Heisman Trophy will be awarded Saturday evening. Williams is one of four finalists and is widely expected to become USC’s eighth winner of that prestigious award.
