Caleb Williams discusses his thoughts on a spectacular 2022 season

USC quarterback Caleb Williams put together a spectacular 2022 campaign for the Trojans. Many people across the country have pegged him as a heavy favorite to win the 2022 Heisman Trophy Award this weekend in New York City. On Thursday night, Williams picked up some hardware during the ESPN College Football Awards Show presented by The Home Depot. He won the Maxwell Award–given to the player that is chosen to be the best all-around player in college football. The award has been given out annually since 1937. Williams took some time to speak with ESPN about how much it meant to him to be named the best all-around player in college football.

Caleb Williams shared his thoughts on a special 2022 season

“It for sure means a lot to me,” Williams said. “As an athlete and I work so hard, to be the best player — that’s what you try to achieve every single day. You get up and go work out or in the film room, out on the field with your teammates. You want to be your best. So, to be named Maxwell Award winner, it for sure means a lot,” the USC Trojans star said.

He then described the best moment this season that represents his relationship with his teammates.

“There’s been a couple and I will give you three off the top of my head,” Williams said. “The Oregon State game, offense wasn’t playing too well, and the defense kept fighting for us. At the end of the game, we throw a game-winner. Defense sticks it out. UCLA game was a back-and-forth battle, and we had the defense’s back. And at the end, they stuck it out again. Did what they do best.”

“And then, Notre Dame. Notre Dame is probably the top one for me just because something my teammates said was…Andrew Vorhees, he asked us to raise our hands to the team. To anyone that has beaten Notre Dame in the last five years, six years, anyone on the team that’s been here. And nobody raised their hands. So, to be able to go out there, and trying to get that win vs. Notre Dame and do it in good fashion, it meant a lot to me. And that was probably number one for me,” Williams said.

Williams dazzled as a true sophomore for the Trojans. He set USC single-season records for total touchdowns (47) and total offensive yards (4,447). Williams also ran for 372 rushing yards–the most for a USC quarterback in the past 70 years. We’ll see if he can add to his trophy case this weekend with the most prestigious individual award in college football.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh and WeAreSC’s Eric McKinney also contributed to this article.