Will Kliff Kingsbury’s Road Lead To a Caleb Williams Reunion?

Could Caleb Williams reunite with Kliff Kingsbury in the NFL? Lincoln Riley would โ€˜loveโ€™ it…

Chuck Schilken (LA Times)ย  —ย  Kliff Kingsbury is getting another shot in the NFL, and Caleb Williams is happy for him.

Nothing more to be read into this at all.

Williams just happens to be a former USC quarterback and is expected to be one of the top picks in this yearโ€™s NFL draft, possibly #1 in a QB-heavy field.

And Kingsbury just happens to have worked closely with Williams last season as USC’s senior offensive analyst and has been hired as the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator, after pulling out of the Las Vegas Raiders OC job at the last second.

And theย Commandersย just happen to hold the No. 2 overall draft pick.

So, yeah, when Williams took to hisย Instagram Storiesย on Sunday night to post a photo of Kingsbury in Commanders gear and the message โ€œMy dawg congrats,โ€ there was absolutely no online speculation as to what it all meant. Yeah, right.

2022 Heisman winner Williams played well this past season under Kingsburyโ€™s tutelage, throwing for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns, while only tossing five interceptions, and adding 136 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. USC did not live up to expectations as a team, but Williams did his part.

Kingsbury famously wasย USCโ€™s offensive coordinatorย for 34 days during the 2019 offseason beforeย bolting for the NFLย to claim the same position for the Arizona Cardinals. Known as a quarterback guru for his work with such accomplished passers asย Patrick Mahomes,ย Baker Mayfieldย andย Kyler Murray, Kingsbury returned to USC last season to work with Trojans quarterbacks in a support role under coachย Lincoln Riley.

โ€œThey have a great relationship. It was awesome for Caleb to have Kliff,โ€ Riley told โ€œGood Morning Footballโ€ on Monday. โ€œIn a perfect world would I love a reunion for them? That would be great. But we all know a lot would transpire between now and the draft.โ€

Riley is right about that โ€” a lot would have to happen for the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner to be reunited with his โ€œdawgโ€ in D.C. The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick and would likely demand quite a bit from Washington to switch places in Aprilโ€™s draft and ensure Williams will be on the board when the Commanders make their selection.

There is some serious debate about what the Bears will do since they already have Justin Fields and have supported him publicly, but that could just be a result of the team trying to boost his value ahead of trading him this offseason and drafting Williams. While Fields is a great runner, he has not developed much as a passer. ย Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye could also be options for Chicago.

Plus,ย Dan Quinn was hired as the Commandersโ€™ head coachย late last week and may not have his head wrapped around exactly what direction he wants to take the team just yet. General managerย Adam Peters, a walk-on defensive end atย UCLAย in 2001 and 2002, is new in town too, and the ownership group that is led byย Josh Harrisย and includesย Magic Johnsonย has only been in place for just over six months.

So go ahead and speculate all you want. It may not amount to anything, but with only Super Bowl LVIII left to play in the NFL season, many eyes will be on whether Williams will be paired up again with Kingsbury in Washington, or if he can finally land as the once-in-a-generation QB savior Chicago has been longing for.

latimes.com

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TrojanDailyBlogย membersย โ€”ย ย We always encourage you to add factual information, insight, divergent opinions, or new topics to theย TDBthat donโ€™t necessarily pertain to any particular moderator post or member comment.

 

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TrojanRJJ
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February 8, 2024 8:08 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

The final season of the end of Andy’s career at SC is playing itself out. He is now a zombie coach. His time at SC is over. He may stay for a year or two as a zombie, but his time at SC is done.

Golden Trojan
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February 8, 2024 8:36 am
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

Hopefully Jen Cohen pulls the trigger by mid March. Also hope she doesn’t pick a one season wonder out of this year’s March Madness like SC did with Enfield.

Golden Trojan
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February 8, 2024 8:42 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

SC had a 15 year drought on DL till Tuli Tuipulotu drafted last year by the Chargers.

TrojanRJJ
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February 8, 2024 8:06 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Allen, greatly appreciate your expert opinion on this class. Please remember, I am still at 8-4 and unranked for the 2024 team. But, I agree that this team has significantly improved both the coaching staff and the talent over last year, particularly on the D. How it works out in 2024 is the issue. And, I agree, SC will be very interesting to watch this year. I think the 2024 team will actually improve from week to week. Did not happen the last two years, particularly on D. Under Grinch, in both 2022 and 2023, the D actually got worse… Read more ยป

TrojanRJJ
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February 7, 2024 1:43 pm

As I continue to “cry me a river” for UCLA football. On National Letter of Intent signing day, the UCLA head coach is out interviewing for the OC position with the Seattle Seahawks. That certainly has to help recruiting!

TrojanRJJ
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February 8, 2024 7:58 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I agree that the UCLA game was a rout of a good SC team by a mediocre UCLA team. UCLA was ready to play, SC was not. I think by the UCLA game, LR had lost the team; it just simply did not show up against UCLA. I think that Grinch still being the DC had a lot to do with that as LR regained the team after Grinch was fired and the team prepped for the Holiday Bowl. In fact, after the team just plain quit on him against a rival, the Holiday Bowl was a huge game for… Read more ยป

Chris
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February 7, 2024 12:12 pm

Ran into a kid I coached who is playing football at big sky level. I coached him in basketball, but he was a football player through and through. Anyway, 6โ€™6โ€ kid who was 225 as a high school senior, he is now 265 after freshman year of football. Hoping to be 280 by start of season. Crazy how fast they can add that weight, he is on 7000 calorie a day diet.

Golden Trojan
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February 7, 2024 9:20 am

Interesting that for all the talk of pay for play at Oregon, they have yet to sign a 5 star recruit. Georgia and Alabama have 5 each, other schools that get a 5*are getting one or two.

Golden Trojan
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February 7, 2024 10:59 am
Reply to  Golden Trojan

Update, Ohio St and Texas have 4 five stars, Miami with 3. The 5 programs that must have the most robust pay for play.

TrojanRJJ
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February 7, 2024 1:50 pm
Reply to  Golden Trojan

GT,, in 2023, Maimi has a much worse year than SC. Yet look what a robust high school player “pay for play” NIL can produce. So, if you want “proof of concept” on the impact of a robust “pay for play” NIL to high school kids, simply look at Miami versus SC. Miami has one of the most robust high school player “pay for play” NIL in the nation, and SC simply does not offer that type of NIL to high school kids. Let’s see how it plays out over the next few years! And, to be honest, I think… Read more ยป

TrojanRon
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February 7, 2024 5:24 am

I’m not going to speculate what will happen in the NFL Draft and what Chicago will do with the #1 pick. Fields seemed to turn things around in the later part of the NFL season and the team has publicly supported him. I could see the Bears hanging on to him and drafting the WR Harrison #`1. I could also see where the Bears trade the #1 pick for a boatload of draft picks and/or other compensation. That would give the Washington Commanders the ability to draft Caleb. I have never liked Kingsbury after he snubbed USC back in 2019… Read more ยป

TrojanRon
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February 8, 2024 4:08 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

If I were Kingsbury, I would have done the same as he did by jumping to the NFL as a HC. I just had my hopes up back in 2019 that as the OC he could get USC out of being mediocre under Helton. I guess my disappointment is still lingering for some reason and I shouldn’t hold that against Kingsbury. Thank God, Bohn fired Helton and LR was hired. I don’t wish ill will on anyone and hope Kingsbury does well as OC under Dan Quinn. It will be very interesting if Washington is able to land Caleb Williams… Read more ยป

ATL D.D.S.
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February 6, 2024 7:25 am

I hope team Caleb understands that his play regressed while under the wing of KK in the 2023 season. I would not go to the Washington Redskins for KK alone (and I know Caleb has much leverage as to what team he goes to–Chicago or the Redskins or whoever maneuvers for the first pick).

Steveg
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February 6, 2024 7:16 pm
Reply to  ATL D.D.S.

Actually Doc, some of his stats were better in 2023, like QB rating and completion percentage. Anyway, in his college career: Caleb Williams – 67% completion percentage, 10,082 yards passing, 93 TD passes, 14 INT, 960 yards rushing on 289 attempts, 27 rushing TDs and a boatload of holy sh!t moments.

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