JD PicKell: Caleb Williams' running ability is a benefit to USC offense

Caleb Williams is arguably the best quarterback returning in college football and could win a second straight Heisman Trophy.

The USC quarterback is quite the passer and developed nicely but his running ability actually stands out. On3’s J.D. PicKell explained how his feet can really get the Trojans’ offense to the next level.

It was evident last season but 2023 could be even better for Williams and the USC offense.

“He was able to be just like what you and I would do at recess,” PicKell said on The Hard Count. “Yeah, five-Mississippi-rush … For a defense, they hate that. Those big defensive linemen, those big 300-plus pound big boys up front, they don’t like chasing around Caleb Williams. That is a headache. And what this does for USC, even if they lost the play schematically, even if UCLA had the right blitz dialed up for that time, whenever Caleb Williams extends the play, whenever he breaks contain, it’s like a whole new football play. 

“Guess what, we’re in Plan B now. You’re in Caleb’s world now that you when we break contain, and how many times did we see him playing recess, making defenders miss in the backfield and then somebody downfield gets open? Defenses hate that. Because you did everything right on defense. But you’re not able to win that second play that Caleb Williams would create time and time again for USC.” 

Last season, Williams had a banner year with 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 66.6% completion percentage. Williams added 382 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

The injuries limited Williams later in the year, but he certainly has a chance to burn you with his legs.

“Also it’s a whole other period during the week as a defense you have to account for now with Caleb Williams and his legs,” PicKell said. “You have to work on the scramble drill a little bit extra. That’s a period you can’t use now for working on your other base defensive calls. It’s a headache, it’s more to worry about. And we saw that also in the run game. Whenever Caleb Williams wouldn’t give the ball to one of his running backs and then kind of carry out the fake to the right, there was always at least one to two sets of eyeballs on number 13 as he carried out his fake. 

“That’s two less sets of eyeballs on the running back, who actually has the football and allows them a nice little lane to run with. So Caleb Williams and his 10 rushing touchdowns last year, you don’t think that matters? It absolutely does.”