Lincoln Riley says 'the best is yet to come' for reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams

Coaching Heisman-winning quarterbacks is nothing new for USC head coach Lincoln Riley, but being able to coach them for another season after they take home the iconic hardware is. Riley and quarterback Caleb Williams have the chance to build on their impressive first season with the Trojans, and on ESPN’s ‘First Take’, was asked what makes Williams different from his previous QBs.

“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.”

At Oklahoma, both Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray were selected with the No. 1 overall pick of their respective NFL drafts following their Heisman Trophy wins under Riley. That same path looked possible for Williams at one point, as he showed flashes of greatness during his freshman season at Oklahoma before transferring to USC.

“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,” Riley said. “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.

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.

There’s no doubt that Williams is decorated, and many have him already slated as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. But before that day comes, and Riley have some unfinished business in Los Angeles.

“But for him to have the courage to come in to this situation, help us really jumpstart a program, a new team, a new conference, new part of the country, I think showed the belief he has in himself as a player. And he’s just grown and grown and grown and it’s been a great journey so far, but I think Caleb and I both agree that the best is yet to come.”