Lincoln Riley says Caleb Williams is 'Ready to Play' in Cotton Bowl
During Sunday’s head coaches press conference at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, USC head coach Lincoln Riley confirmed what Trojans’ quarterback Caleb Williams has been telling everybody for a month. USC will have its Heisman-winning quarterback healthy and available when the Trojans take the field against Tulane.
“He’s ready to play,” Riley said. “He has progressed maybe a little faster than what we anticipated.”
Monday will mark four weeks and three days since Williams suffered what Riley called a “significant” hamstring injury against Utah in the Pac-12 Championship game. Two days after that game, Riley said it was a good thing the Trojans didn’t have another game in the next two or three weeks.
Riley said Williams and the training staff have been diligent since the second the Pac-12 Championship Game ended about working on the hamstring and getting him ready to play.
“Very fortunate on our part that we had the opportunity to have a month before this game,” Riley said. “Had it been even two weeks, I doubt he would have been available.”
Being on the field is one thing. Playing at the same level that won him the Heisman Trophy this season is another. But Riley doesn’t seem concerned with anything holding Williams back from playing at his best.
“He’s practiced well, really with no limitations,” Riley said. “[I] expect him to play very well.”
Williams never waivered in his belief that he would play in this game, even in the days after suffering the hamstring injury. Friday, he was asked if the hamstring would force him to be smart about when or how much he runs and scrambles.
“I don’t really like to hold myself back from anything,” Williams said. “I’ll be smart about it, try not to do anything crazy. Maybe. But I’m going to get out there. I’m going to play ball, and go off of that.”
Williams’ Heisman Trophy Season
Williams taking the field healthy and performing well is undoubtedly the biggest factor in this game. He completed 66% of his passes for 4,075 yards and 37 touchdowns against just four interceptions this season. And he added 372 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
He set USC single-season records for total touchdowns and total yards and can set several others with even an average-for-Caleb-Williams performance against Tulane.
Williams was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, the AP Player of the Year, Walter Camp Player of the Year and also took home the Maxwell Award.
