Caleb Williams details how three-loss season has tested his leadership

At 7-3 and on the outside of the rankings, USC is not where they wanted to be at this point. Those circumstances have tried everyone in Los Angeles in different ways, including QB Caleb Williams.

Williams spoke about the burden that this season has been on him as the face of the Trojans during a media availability on Wednesday. It’s a difficult spot because losing has not been a part of his career for some time.

“It’s testing me because it’s tough. I’ve never really been in this position – in the regular season with three losses – regardless of where I’ve been,” said Williams. “Now, being in college? Playing at one of the most prestigious colleges and the best conference in the country right now? It’s tough.”

With 10 games gone, all Williams can do now is lean on others. No matter who he is talking to, he wants to hear the advice of others in order to relay those lessons and be a better leader to his teammates.

“You have talks with people that you believe in that, maybe, have been through it. Someone that you trust, like Coach Riley, kind of sitting down, talking with him after losses. Whether it’s right after the game or Sunday when I come up here and get around the guys, workout, whatever the case may be,” said Williams.

USC finds itself in a storm that, come the start of November, they may never have thought that they’d been in. Even so, it’s not the character of a success that speaks volume but, rather, the character of a failure.

That’s why, with only a few games to go, Williams is standing on who he has been and isn’t planning on changing from who he was at the start of the season.

“Just kind of staying steady and being the same person is something I’ve said to the whole group,” said Williams. “Before the season started, I come in here and I wanted to be the same person every single day. That’s something that I’m constantly reminded of.”

Bruce Feldman details why Williams will not shut down his season

The more USC loses, the more some have questioned if Caleb Williams should shut things down.

His success paired with the Trojan’s struggles brought the question of why Williams should finish the season about to Bruce Feldman.

“I think the point is for your teammates to be honest,” Feldman said. “We see all these videos of him being fairly generous for the stuff he’s given through his NIL to his teammates. But, look, you’re around them all year round, workouts, you live with them, game obviously. Without Caleb? This team is probably a .500 team.”

“He could. But I think it’s like you’re preaching about finish and all these other things that go with it. When adversity hits? Look, if he decided and his family decided, ‘You know what? We’re just gonna get ready for the draft’? I would understand it,” Feldman said. “But, at the same time, I think everything we hear? And, look, coaches can be guilty of this too. But everything we hear is, when adversity hits, you gotta to finish and you got all these things that go with, especially, the football mentality.”

From the emotions of it to injury risk, there’s no question that there are various variables that would go into William’s potential decision. With just two games remaining in the regular season, though, there’s still been no indication from Caleb Williams that he won’t be suiting up for the Trojans anymore.

“But this is kind of the reality for these guys. So I don’t know what’s in his head, how much he thinks about ‘Do I want to risk an injury?’ or ‘How much do I feel like do I owe for the team?’. Just part of me is burning to be like I’m not going out this way at USC,” Feldman said. “I think only he can answer that.”