New USC quarterback Caleb Williams makes his spring debut to positive reviews

Caleb Williams emerged from the tunnel firstly of a brand new period for USC, a logo of latest hope in a white headband.

The final month had been a whirlwind of latest for the Trojans’ new quarterback. New college. New metropolis. New colours. New emblem. New hype and expectations.

However as he jogged alone towards the primary spring observe of his USC profession, Williams touched the Trojans sword and threw up a “V for Victory” signal with two fingers to flashing cameras, deftly working by means of the motions as in the event that they have been muscle reminiscence, as if he’d belonged right here, on this position, all alongside.

Then, Williams took a tough left within the flawed course, jogging away from USC’s observe subject down McClintock Avenue, the place a safety guard stopped him and set him on the suitable path.

“It’s my first day!” Williams exclaimed, laughing as he lastly discovered the door to the sector.

The reality is Williams by no means anticipated to be right here.

Till coach Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma in a rush on the finish of final season, Williams deliberate to spend the subsequent two years because the Sooners’ star passer. The method that led him to decide on Oklahoma within the first place hadn’t even allowed for the potential of a switch.

However right here he was anyway, essentially the most high-profile switch in America and the face of a crew constructed largely by means of the portal, on a campus 1,500 miles from his final one.

None of that had been a part of his plans. So when it got here to deciding on his subsequent vacation spot, Williams informed himself he would take his time. Whilst the faculty soccer world assumed he was all however certain for USC to rejoin Riley, Williams went by means of every step of the method he’d set out for himself, equally contemplating futures at Wisconsin and UCLA whereas USC followers held their breath.

Williams wasn’t instantly offered on the Trojans. He nonetheless had questions for Riley. The coach’s exit, within the wake of Oklahoma’s loss to Oklahoma State, was “fairly tough,” Williams mentioned. “However I obtained by means of it.”

It wasn’t till Williams formally entered the switch portal that he was allowed to talk with Riley and air these grievances. He used these weeks to really feel out what life is perhaps like with out the coach.

However once they lastly linked, Williams mentioned, “it was truly an enormous reduction.

“Earlier than I went to Oklahoma, I constructed such a fantastic relationship with him and different people who got here right here, energy workers and different workers included, not simply Coach Riley,” Williams mentioned. “That was an enormous piece for me. It wasn’t nearly Coach Riley being right here.”

That relationship ought to assist USC’s offense hit the bottom working this spring. With Williams on the helm, there’s no steep studying curve for the quarterback in Riley’s offense. Williams is already properly acquainted with the playbook. He already has a rapport with certainly one of his prime receivers, Mario Williams, who adopted coach and quarterback from Oklahoma to L.A.

“He’s going to be superior this season,” Mario Williams mentioned of his quarterback.

He wasn’t the one one with glowing early critiques.

“He has that confidence you need in a quarterback, that swagger,” middle Brett Neilon mentioned.

“He’s a pacesetter,” working again Austin Jones mentioned. “Most positively, he’s an alpha. He’s going to return out right here, he’s going to make performs and he’s going to do his factor. And also you see it in him. Dude is a baller.”

So when Williams stepped into an unfamiliar locker room final month, it didn’t take lengthy for him to make his presence recognized. He’d already taken the reins at Oklahoma as a freshman, instantly endearing himself to an offense that had been constructed round one other passer.

At USC, Riley mentioned, it got here simply as naturally.

USC coach Lincoln Riley appears to be like on as quarterback Caleb Williams makes a move throughout spring observe at USC on Tuesday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)

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“Caleb’s obtained a great way about him,” Riley mentioned. “He’s a type of guys who can stroll right into a room with individuals he doesn’t know and he’s type of a chameleon; he can slot in in anyplace. He’s performed some ball. He’s been by means of it, I feel, wished to return right here and set up himself as a pacesetter.”

That course of is properly underway. However there are nonetheless loads of changes to be made with USC’s offense. Extra gamers are anticipated to be added by means of the switch portal this summer time, certainly one of which might be a quarterback, as USC is down to only Williams and returning redshirt freshman Miller Moss.

Williams, Riley reminded, is something however a completed product. The coach mentioned he and his workers “recognized plenty of areas the place [Williams] can enhance as a participant” and challenged him to maintain attacking these areas this spring.

“He’s a great distance from being the perfect participant he may be,” Riley mentioned.

That thought is perhaps sufficient to offer USC followers goose bumps.

However for Williams, the final month has been a reminder of how a lot he nonetheless has to study. Not solely in regards to the offense he now helms, but in addition the campus he’s been wandering.

“I ought to in all probability get a scooter,” Williams mentioned, “however the primary factor that I’ve discovered [about USC] is strolling. It’s plenty of strolling. You’ve obtained to have nice time administration strolling round campus.”

And so on.

USC plans so as to add loads extra expertise through the switch portal this summer time. However how a lot? “Double-digit additions, no query about it,” Riley mentioned. …

Riley expressed hope that inside receivers coach Dave Nichol, who’s away from the crew whereas coping with a medical matter, might be capable of return by the autumn. …

Offensive deal with switch Bobby Haskins and defensive finish Korey Foreman have been each restricted firstly of spring observe. Riley mentioned every is anticipated to make a full return in some unspecified time in the future this spring.