Column: Caleb Williams handed a modest test, but can he hold adapting to mask USC's flaws?

Caleb Williams ran more moments than he did in both of his two preceding games, the growth eliciting a curious concern all through the Trojans’ postgame information meeting.

Was applying his legs a issue of emphasis as USC ready for the match?

“For confident, it was not a point of emphasis,” Williams stated, flashing a smile as he glanced over at mentor Lincoln Riley.

He ran on Saturday night mainly because he experienced to.

Williams’ period-superior 12 dashing makes an attempt in the 45-17 victory more than Fresno Condition bundled a few sacks. Some of the other individuals ended up on plays in which the quarterback was chased out of the pocket.

“I tried not to run,” Williams stated, “but which is an means I have.”

As substantially consideration as Williams has captivated as the poster youngster of the Transfer Portal Trojans, he however remains one thing of a thriller, his Heisman-worthy statistics compiled towards solely overmatched opponents.

Spectacular performances from Rice and Stanford never guarantee good results from Utah or Notre Dame, which made the recreation in opposition to Fresno Condition instructive.

The Bulldogs introduced the 19-calendar year-previous Williams with as much adversity as he’s encountered below — just a smidgen of adversity but adversity nevertheless.

“We stated that all 7 days with this group: We’re heading to get analyzed, and we’re likely to face some situations with this group that we haven’t been in still as a workforce,” Riley reported.

Williams was sacked twice during USC’s ultimate possession of the very first 50 %. He was also sacked during the travel before that.

The Trojans didn’t rating on either possession and went into the break with the viewing Bulldogs nonetheless inside striking length at 21-10.

“Of course, he was hot since we did not rating,” tight stop Malcolm Epps claimed of Williams.

Williams responded emphatically.

Landing.

Touchdown.

Landing.

Driving Williams, the Trojans scored 21 factors all through their very first 3 drives of the 2nd 50 %, putting the sport out of the Bulldogs’ restricted get to.

“His head is normally up,” Epps reported. “Regardless of what it is, no matter of [whether it’s] at exercise, he messes up a engage in, it is always hold going, continue to keep heading, hold heading, upcoming play. “

Finishing 16 of 26 passes through an uneven to start with fifty percent, Williams was 9 of 11 in the 2nd. He concluded with 284 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and a hurrying landing.

“I thought we experienced to make some changes there immediately after the next quarter, and I believed the changes were being properly received,” Riley said. “He went out and executed them well. He’s studying to gain and development in different approaches. That’s what quarterbacks do when they get more mature and additional knowledgeable. He’s observing it very well and has a great grasp of what we’re executing.”

USC quarterback Caleb Williams scores a touchdown versus Fresno State in the first quarter at the Coliseum on Saturday.

(Luis Sinco / VFAB)

Williams established up the initially of USC’s a few next-fifty percent touchdowns with an 18-lawn go to Jordan Addison.

Williams also set up the upcoming, this time with a 32-property go to the back shoulder of fellow Oklahoma transfer Mario Williams.

USC scored its final landing on a go by Williams, a 10-yard completion to a broad-open Epps.

“We went to halftime, we gathered ourselves,” Williams reported. “We needed to participate in a whole activity. Which is been our full matter this 7 days.

“Also, it was to be the hunters, not the hunted. That was our mentality. So, we came out combating, came out shooting and we had a very excellent 3rd quarter.”

In a few games, Williams has thrown for 8 touchdowns and operate for two a lot more. He continue to has not turned in excess of the ball.

USC scored touchdowns on just about every of its initial a few drives against Fresno Point out. But the Bulldogs neutralized the Trojans’ deep threats, specially Addison, who was Williams’ desired concentrate on early in the sport.

Addison is certain to be double-teamed at some stage. What then?

Depth on the offensive line is also a issue. When still left tackle Bobby Haskins was pressured to go to the damage tent in the second quarter, Williams was sacked on the up coming engage in.

The team’s main remaining deal with, Courtland Ford, was wounded a week previously.

Williams did not audio nervous.

“It was compact issues,” he mentioned. “Very small mistakes. All those smaller problems lead to stalling on drives, receiving pushback, possessing a sack where by I must have just dirted the ball or threw it out of bounds and gotten a discipline intention. Just definitely smaller issues.”

Addison quite very well could be the nation’s No. 1 receiver. Operating backs Travis Dye and Austin Jones just about every rushed for far more than 100 yards on Saturday whilst averaging more than 9 yards for every have.

But this is Williams’ offense. This is Williams’ team.

And in which the Trojans close up will finally be decided by whether the varieties of adjustments he built against Fresno Condition could be made versus the likes of Utah or Notre Dame.