Opinion: How Caleb Williams is great combo of ex-Oklahoma QBs Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Caleb Williams wore a tan cowboy hat into his first press conference as a Sooner.
It never came off.
Nor should it have.
A few minutes after midnight Thursday, in the aftermath of Oklahoma’s 47-32 Alamo Bowl dismantling of Oregon, we got our first glimpse at the Sooner quarterback as a person. We’ve seen who he is as a player. We’ve heard what he is like from coaches and teammates.
But outside the walls of Sooner Headquarters and likely inside a few classrooms on the OU campus, Williams was largely unknown.
If his first Sooner press conference is any indication, though, it’s easy to see how he won over his teammates after replacing a talented veteran and taking over as a freshman.
Williams is magnetic.
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He has a charisma that is a lot like Baker Mayfield and a confidence that is a lot like Kyler Murray. Williams, though, isn’t quite as brash as Mayfield or as detached as Murray. Williams is more endearing and warm.
For example, after OU interim coach Bob Stoops talked about getting to share a couple cool moments with his receiver son Drake after his touchdown catch Wednesday night, Williams interjected.
“We almost took that play out, by the way,” he said, glancing sideways down the table at Stoops. “Almost.”
Williams grinned a bit.
“Kept it in, worked it a few more times and got a touchdown off of it,” he said, “so not too bad.”
A few moments later, when I asked Williams and tailback Kennedy Brooks about why the offense was so efficient and able to score on eight consecutive possessions against Oregon, Williams looked at Brooks.
“We can both say at the same time,” Williams said. “The. Offensive. Line.”
“Big facts,” Brooks said.
After Brooks gave props to the offensive line, Williams followed suit, finishing with, “I had zero sacks. Didn’t touch the ground.”
Brooks: “Must be nice.”
Williams: “It’s lovely.”
I’ve seen hundreds of college athletes over the years in press conferences. Maybe thousands of them. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one any more at ease on the dais with teammates and coaches as well as reporters.
I definitely don’t remember one as young as Williams, just barely 20 years old.
Now, there have been young athletes willing to speak their minds, including a couple past OU quarterbacks. Jamelle Holieway and Cale Gundy were both willing to say whatever they thought after being named the Sooner starter as freshmen.
Gundy criticized the playing calling his freshman season, for crying out loud.
Holieway and Gundy were extremely confident, but they were more precocious than endearing.
Williams has a charm about him that is unmistakable.
Now, I’m aware there’s a segment of OU fans who are none too happy with Williams right now. They wanted him to announce his future plans after the Alamo Bowl. Is he staying in Norman? Is he entering the transfer portal?
Williams wouldn’t say, announcing instead he was heading on vacation with his family.
“After all these ups and downs,” he said, referencing the Sooners’ coaching change, “I want to go on vacation, spend time with my family and focus on that.”
Would it have been nice to know what he’s going to do?
Sure.
But even in explaining why he wasn’t ready to announce a decision, Williams further illustrated why he has the locker room behind him. He talked about wanting to focus intently on preparing for the bowl, giving the team the best chance to win and the seniors the best chance to go out on a high.
“I have the chance to be here,” Williams said. “All my guys that won’t be here next year, they go off on the right note.”
That’s a pretty mature way of doing business, really.
And quite honestly, if Williams’ demeanor early Thursday morning is any indication, I’m not sure he’s worried about anyone else’s timetable for his announcement. He seems completely at ease in his own skin. He seems totally comfortable no matter the situation.
All that made his cowboy hat fitting. What he does on and off the football field makes him the Sooners’ trail boss.
Emphasis on boss.
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