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Caleb Williams identifies area he wants to improve most in 2023

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko05/04/23

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(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Caleb Williams seemingly did not have to improve much after the USC quarterback won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 for the Trojans.

However, Williams mentioned one area where he wanted to improve the most this coming season. It’ll likely be the biggest reason why USC does or doesn’t win a Pac-12 title and get to the College Football Playoff.

It’s all about stringing everything together every single game for Williams.

“Consistency, just being consistent,” Williams said of where he wants to improve. “Man, and also just upping my mental game. I’m comfortable with the routes. Also understanding that no matter the year, no matter the time, every year there’s going to be different challenges. So, last year, one of our plays is not going to be the same and ran the same as it is this year because of our talent and the changes within it. 

“So, adapting to that. And then, like I said, just the mental game and making sure (we’re always) on the same page and making sure we’re in the best (position to succeed).”

If Williams can talk about improvements, then so can USC head coach Lincoln Riley. He said the best was yet to come for his quarterback.

It’ll be fun having one back and getting to coach him another year, that really helps,” Riley smiled and said. “Caleb’s a unique talent, he really is and I give him a lot of credit …

“There was so much made of him coming here and a lot of people forgot he’d only started seven games in his career before he got to USC. I mean he still was, and in some ways, still is very young and very early on in his career in terms of what he’s gonna have an opportunity to accomplish.”

Williams is just 21 years old and entering his third college football season, but he’s surely accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. Last season for the Trojans Williams threw for 4,537 yards and a nation-leading 42 touchdown passes, and he did so efficiently, throwing just five interceptions in his 14 starts.

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He also stuffed his trophy case with more than just the Heisman Trophy, taking home the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, earning College Football Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press and Sporting News, and was a Unanimous All-American selection.

Kaiden Smith contributed to this report