Former Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams has revealed how difficult it was to leave the Sooners and follow Lincoln Riley to USC.
When Riley took the job at Southern Cal, it was widely expected that he would try to recruit some of his former players in Oklahoma. While Williams’ transition seemed fairly simple on the surface, his internal struggles made things a little more difficult.
There is always more than meets the eye, especially considering that Williams’ father was heavily involved in the process.
in Interview with ESPNWilliams opened up about his choice:
“Yes, it was a challenge to say the least,” Williams said Holly Rowe from ESPN. “I was expecting my coach there for the next three or four years. So his abrupt departure, it definitely affected me and then having to make the decision about staying in Oklahoma was one of the toughest challenges. I helped during the COVID time. You may have seen that I helped the majority of my class In getting there and committing, so it was really hard for me to rip everything out and get out here (to USC.) Perhaps the hardest part was letting go of those guys I knew before I got there. The relationships I built when I got there. There, this was the hardest part.
“And then when I actually got to the transfer gate it was really hard after the match. There were a lot of questions about what I was going to do and I was a bit confused. It was a tough situation because I really didn’t know what was going on and what I was going to do, so I made a decision. Going to the transfer gate and seeing my options (they were) and seeing what I could do. Oklahoma made the decision and then I ended up making my own and I think it worked out both places. I wish them the best.”
Caleb Williams revealed that choosing to leave Oklahoma for USC was tough
Williams did a lot of recruiting himself as a hitchhiker, and reached out to high school players in the area to join him at Norman. Simply leaving it all behind has never been so simple.
Bear Williams’ father, Cal, the new Trojan had OU topped his roster while in the gate, but that quickly evaporated when the Sooners brought in QB Dillon Gabriel’s transfer.
Whether you believe it or not, it’s hard to blame Oklahoma for covering its tracks. To the outside world, I sensed the expectation was that Williams would follow the man who had recruited him, Riley, to USC. The two had a strong bond, as expressed by Caleb above.
However, Williams is gaining a new comfort level at USC. Expectations are high, but we wouldn’t bet Riley on the Pac-12.
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