Former Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams announced Tuesday he will follow former Sooners coach Lincoln Riley and transfer to Southern California.
Williams, who entered the transfer portal on Jan. 3, posted a Trojans hype video on Twitter with the hashtag #FightOn. It featured himself wearing a USC uniform.
??? #FightOn pic.twitter.com/vBSwi86gpb
— Caleb Williams (@CALEBcsw) February 1, 2022
Williams confirmed his career move in an interview with ESPN.
“I wanted to go somewhere I thought would provide me with the best development both on and off the field,” he told ESPN. “… Getting to know Coach Riley and gaining familiarity with his offense definitely played a part in my selection, as well as already knowing some the guys on the team.”
As an Oklahoma freshman in 2021, Williams threw for 1,912 yards with 21 touchdowns against four interceptions after replacing Spencer Rattler six games into the season. Williams rushed for another 442 yards and scored six TDs as the Sooners finished 11-2.
Williams also considered UCLA, Georgia and Wisconsin and had not ruled out staying at Oklahoma.
Williams told ESPN he filed all the paperwork with USC last week and starts classes on Tuesday. He expects to join team workouts soon.
“I want to get to work right away, earn the trust of my teammates, win championships and help bring USC back to being a top-rated program,” Williams said.
Riley has added 13 transfers from the portal since taking over the Trojans in November.
After announcing his transfer, Williams’ odds for winning the 2022 Heisman Trophy climbed from +1300 to +800 at PointsBet.com, while USC’s national championship odds went from +5000 to +3000.
–Field Level Media