Caleb Williams reveals his reaction to being named 2022 USC team captain

The USC Trojans are entering a new era under head coach Lincoln Riley, which has built up the excitement for a complete overhaul of the old regime. Part of that new-look group came with a massive number of players arriving on campus via the transfer portal with hopes of making an immediate impact at one of college football’s most storied schools.

For sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams, the move meant a new location but the same coach after he followed Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC. Thanks to his familiarity with the system, along with a large number of other new faces around the facility, the former five-star recruit was able to immediately establish himself as a leader on and off the field.

That work culminated in a vote by the players to make him a 2022 USC team captain, and that honor means a lot to someone who has experienced the ups and downs of the past few years like Williams.

“It’s actually been one of my dreams,” said Williams. “I’ve always wanted to be a captain. I had the COVID year in high school so I couldn’t really be a captain. To be out there with those guys working out, leading them. So it’s always been a dream of mine and I really can’t wait to get out there and help them, and help us as a team reach our goals.”

Williams will start at quarterback after a very strong freshman season at Oklahoma. He took over as the starter partway through the year. And he enters this season as one of a handful of favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.

Lincoln Riley names 2022 USC team captains

Following Tuesday’s practice, USC head coach Lincoln Riley announced the four team captains for the 2022 season as voted upon by the team.

Those four are quarterback Caleb Williams, offensive lineman Justin Dedich, defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu and linebacker Shane Lee.

Riley said several other players got votes, but there four won “by a pretty significant margin.”

“The team pretty clearly looks to those four as the guys they want to represent them,” Riley said.

The selections come as no surprise, considering they are the same four who went out as captains before USC’s spring game. The selections also serve as a good representation of this particular team.

Williams and Lee came in as transfers from Oklahoma and Alabama, respectively. They are two of 20 additions out of the transfer portal that USC hopes will create an immediate turnaround following last year’s 4-8 record.