Caleb Williams Still Can’t Beat Utah. Is He Losing His Grip on the No. 1 Overall Pick?
Caleb Williams Still Can’t Beat Utah. Is He Losing His Grip on the No. 1 Overall Pick?
Williams might not want to see anything Utah Utes-related for the rest of his life
Williams and his fellow USC Trojans fell to the Utes for the third straight time Saturday night, a 34-32 thriller that came down to a field goal as time expired to hand Utah the dramatic victory.
It was a reasonably unspectacular night for the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, as Williams completed 24 of his 34 pass attempts for 256 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Williams did his finest in the final minutes to evade the same result as both of his matchups against Utah last season, positioning the Trojans ahead with a rushing touchdown in the final minutes, believing the game had been stored away as a win. Still, it was not to be had as the Utes responded with the game-winning field goal on the subsequent drive.
That is now back-to-back losses for the Trojans, basically knocking them out of the College Playoff race, and more importantly, that is two straight performances that Williams will try to forget. This is different from how Caleb Williams saw the season playing out.
However, the game's pivotal play came on a 2nd-and-15 from USC's 45-yard line with 16 seconds left. That is when the unlikely star Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes rushed for a 26-yard gain, getting the first down and setting up Cole Becker's game-winning 38-yard field goal.
A USC defense that has been underperforming all year, cost the Trojans once again.
Meanwhile, in the Big 12, where Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams both left USC for is undefeated at 7-0 and is atop the conference standings.
Lincoln Riley would make USC an annual title challenger, revitalizing championship recognition for the once-proud program. Championships would follow the former Oklahoma coach to USC, mainly since he brought highly lauded quarterback Caleb Williams.
Instead, every year, there is buildup over substance and a dreadfully flawed defense with underwhelming results.
On the outside, looking in, you would think that his soft defense at Oklahoma was just a fad and he would be able to bring in the right players and coaches to prepare them. But you have to ask, is he just a brilliant offensive mind who can't develop an adept defense? The defensive problems kept him from winning a title at Oklahoma when he took over the job from Bob Stoops, despite elite offenses and future NFL quarterbacks like Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and Baker Mayfield.
Last year, USC couldn't get past Utah in the Pac-12 championship game, a loss that cost the Trojans a place in the College Football Playoff. This year has been much more destructive despite the aptitude of Williams, the conceivable first pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and last year's Heisman Trophy winner.
USC still has to face the big two of Washington and Oregon. Riley could be looking at the first four-loss season of his otherwise overwhelmingly successful coaching career. One thing can be said about USC and its fanbase: they are not patient and demand to be in the College Football Playoff, or they'll run you out of town!
You have to ask: When will the potential No. 1 overall pick shut it down for the season?
Yes, it is right in the middle of the season, but you see less prominent players shutting down their season early when they don’t see a “reason” to play. Caleb Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, and his agent said they want a stake in that team when drafted. So, why not shut it down and prepare for the NFL draft? He probably doesn’t know if he wants to come out since Williams has a specific team he wants to play for. This reminds me of the John Elway or Eli Manning situation, where they got drafted, didn’t want to play for the team, and the pick was traded to different teams.
You have to wonder what this player will do when ego is in question. Williams is being compared to Patrick Mahomes or better than Patrick Mahomes was in college. The media has created this quarterback’s ego, and with each week that passes, he continues to inflate his ego. So, back to the question: when will he shut it down? If I had to take a guess, I think he’ll shut it down the season rather quickly if he genuinely does enter the NFL Draft. I wonder if talent will trump character at this point in his young career.
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