Caleb Williams committed to Oklahoma in 2021 because he felt it gave him the best avenue to achieving his next career goal. That was becoming the #1 overall pick in the NFL draft. Head coach Lincoln Riley had already done it twice before with Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. The gamble paid off. After three seasons working with the head coach, Williams went #1 overall to the Chicago Bears last week. However, while he still has lots of love and respect for Riley, it appears the young quarterback wasn’t satisfied with everything about his experience at USC.
Will Hewlett is one of the private quarterback coaches for the QB Collective, a training center for young QBs hoping to reach the NFL. Two-time Super Bowl champion head coach Mike Shanahan established it. Hewlett has worked with Williams off and on since he was in 7th grade. This has allowed the two to form a strong relationship as the young star prepares for the pros. It was during an interview with Parkins & Spiegel on 670 The Score that the coach revealed some interesting information.
It seems Williams wasn’t happy with the USC offense last season, believing it lacked structure and forced him to play “hero ball” too often, which led to big plays but also turnovers.
Caleb Williams isn’t the only one who felt this way.
Several experts who watched his game film leading up to the draft pointed out how backward the scheme was. Riley didn’t do nearly enough to help his quarterback. Derrik Klassen of Bleacher Report is one of the better QB evaluators in the field. He outright called the system “repulsive” and philosophically gross. The coaches basically told Williams to make plays rather than find ways to help him.
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This should help put Caleb Williams in a new light. He had a bad offensive line, two 7th round wide receivers, and an offensive scheme that wasn’t fooling anybody. Yet he still threw 30 touchdown passes and got his team to a 7-5 record. Understanding why the Bears gravitated to him so quickly is getting easier. If he could do what he did with that setup in 2023, there is no telling what he might accomplish throwing to studs like D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen with an experienced coordinator like Shane Waldron calling the shots.
He should finally get the structure he craves.
Oh Boy, so now it’s what plays the college coach was calling. Time for a break.
The best way to see a pro trying to decipher Riley’s scheme is to watch Kurt Warner’s QB reviews. He explains multiple basic routes high and low. He explains quite a few crossing concepts. He doesn’t pretend to know the playcall- which I like.
The relief back is usually available for a reception if you need to bail. The deep and mid-range guys will be challenged full hard every time.
Recognize that not everyone is your friend.
I’ve heard quite a few analysts talk negatively about Riley’s scheme last year and how it did nothing to help Caleb out. There was no scheming guys open, little concept involved, no running certain plays to set up other plays, no purposeful motions to help diagnose the defense, and a low amount of short game type of plays. It relied on Caleb making plays. JT O’sullivan which I like OK, but not a lot, even said when breaking down film, “I don’t even know what Riley is trying to do here” several times trying to be as nice as possible.… Read more »
Hey Klaasen, your description of Caleb’s contempt for USC’s offense is nicely offensive. (You should work for one of the presidential candidates or criticize USC’s cancellation of commencement speakers too, if you dare.) Yes, Caleb will do better with the Bears creative structure this year with a little help from his friends. I’d bet on his very quick progress, even for a rookie.