Report: Five-star quarterback Caleb Williams reveals transfer destination

Former five-star quarterback Caleb Williams will transfer to USC, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The move comes nearly two months after he initially announced Jan. 3 that he was entering the transfer portal. Williams is expected to begin classes on Tuesday.

This move comes shortly after former Trojans quarterback Jaxson Dart announced he was transferring to Ole Miss. Former Oklahoma wide receiver Mario Williams had been vocal about his intention to go wherever his quarterback lands; he paid a visit to Los Angeles and eventually committed to play at USC.

Caleb Williams began his true freshman season at Oklahoma as the backup quarterback to Spencer Rattler. When Rattler struggled to start the season, however, Williams took the reigns of the offense.

After a couple of appearances in mop up duty, Williams saw his first significant playing time in the Red River Rivalry against Texas. He led the Sooners back from 21 points down — the largest comeback in the rivalry’s history — to claim a 55-48 victory. That was just the beginning of what would be an impressive season.

He tossed six touchdowns against Texas Tech, setting a Sooners true freshman record. The quarterback finished the year with 1,912 yards passing, 27 total touchdowns and four interceptions. Williams played out the season with his team, leading them to an Alamo Bowl victory against Oregon. He finished that game 21-of-27 passing for 242 yards and three touchdowns.

Oklahoma ended the year with an 11-2 record, failing to make an appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game. Sooners coach Lincoln Riley left to take a job at USC at the end of the regular season. The Sooners hired Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables as Riley’s replacement.

More about Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams’ appearance in the transfer portal prompted a second recruitment of the star, who was highly touted coming out of high school. With new rules permitting college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness, the young quarterback received some jaw-dropping offers.

He was ranked as the No. 9 overall recruit coming out of high school according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Alabama, Clemson and Georgia are a few of the many other teams that offered him a scholarship.

Williams was named the 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year after scoring 37 touchdowns for Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga Prep. He finished his first collegiate season sixth nationally in passer rating and landed on On3’s Freshman All-American team.