Caleb Williams on his leadership responsibilities for the Trojans

USC head coach Lincoln Riley hasn’t officially announced a starting quarterback for the 2022 season, but Caleb Williams has been working towards that distinction from the moment he stepped on campus.

This is a different situation than the one Williams found himself in last year. At Oklahoma, he was a five-star true freshman coming into a situation where Spencer Rattler was the sure-thing starter after putting together a good 2020 season. Williams worked hard, earned the trust of the coaching staff and locker room and eventually worked his way into a starting role.

At USC, he’s coming in as a potential savior of a football program that went 4-8 last season and has been routinely whipped by above-average Pac-12 programs over the past handful of seasons. Returning USC quarterback Miller Moss has a bit of experience after playing against Cal in the season finale. But it’s Williams, with 211 passing attempts and just a true sophomore this season, that is expected to be a veteran leader at the position as well as the offense and the entire program.

Williams spoke about his expectations as a leader at both programs on the Trojans Live Radio Show on Monday night. He said it was important at both places for him to be himself, but he understood that the role is slightly different with the Trojans. He said in high school he took on a lead-by-example role and stayed relatively quiet. That wasn’t going to work here.

“I realized that that wasn’t the way to lead if I want to get to where I want to get to,” Williams said. “So, [I’ve] been more vocal when things are good, and especially when things are bad. Making sure that I’m more composed if I mess up or my guy messes up. And just Just stay calm.”

Williams said he’s working to find the right times to be critical and when to encourage. The end goal is to instill confidence when it comes to everyone’s role in the offense.

“Courage is strength of heart and to encourage is to give strength of heart,” he said. “So that’s what I’ve been trying to give.”

Williams the Alpha

Players and coaches speak highly of Williams’ leadership ability. While he’s becoming better at being a vocal leader, that lead-by-example mentality is still evident. Running back Austin Jones called Williams an “Alpha” earlier this spring. Williams said that isn’t something he has to chase. It comes from within.

“I don’t want anybody better than me,” Williams said. “And if you are, I’m going to work and work and work until you aren’t. And I’m going to keep working because I don’t want you to ever catch up to me. I’d say that has always been in me. Finding new ways to be better so that people can’t reach me.”

Staying Focused Through NIL

One of the recurring questions many brought up when NIL became a reality was how locker rooms would react to a star player making much more money than the rest of the roster. That’s been the case at USC, with Williams capitalizing quickly and significantly. But he hasn’t let it affect his play on the field or status on the roster.

Williams said he has a support system in place to help him deal with NIL. That includes his family and what he called a “really good PR team.” Williams makes the final calls on deals he wants to be involved with, but he said having that structure in place allows him to focus on “ball and school.”

His focus lately has been fully on football. He knows his success is the team’s success when it comes to on-the-field and off-the-field opportunities.

“Everybody wins and everybody’s going to get all the money they want and anything like that if we’re out there winning,” Williams said. “So I’ve been making sure that I’m preparing myself for the season, mentally and physically. Make sure my body is right, make sure my. mind is right for the season and what we have ahead. Can’t wait.”