Why did Caleb Williams transfer from Oklahoma to USC? How Lincoln Riley connection drove QB to Trojans

Four of the projected top six quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft finished their college careers somewhere different than they started, and that's barely enough to register as a surprise for most fans in the transfer portal era. Player movement is rampant, and it's almost now more notable when a quarterback stays at the same school for the duration of his career.

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix all found massive success after transferring. Daniels, Penix and Nix enjoyed breakout campaigns after their moves, but Williams was already labeled a young star when he decided to leave Oklahoma.

A premier recruit in the class of 2021, Williams took over the Sooners' starting job in the middle of his true freshman season and excelled despite his inexperience. That put him firmly on NFL radars as a potential top pick in 2024, and his Heisman Trophy season at USC only solidified his status as college football's most intriguing NFL prospect.

Here's a look back at Williams' decision to transfer to USC and why he left Oklahoma.

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Why did Caleb Williams transfer to USC?

Williams' father told ESPN when his son entered the transfer portal in 2022 that "professional development" would the most important factor in 

"You go to college to get prepared for your career," Carl Williams said. "His chosen career path is professional football. We want him to be prepared for when that time comes."

Williams' video announcing his commitment to USC included a soundbite of a commentator remarking at the number of players the Trojans have sent to the NFL, so it was pretty clear Williams was thinking ahead when he left Oklahoma. 

There are few better coaches for prospective NFL quarterbacks to work with than Lincoln Riley, who attracted Williams to Oklahoma. Riley surprisingly left the Sooners for USC in November 2021, and Williams followed his coach as many players do after a coaching change in the transfer portal era. 

Oklahoma hired defensive-minded Brent Venables as its head coach after Riley left. While Venables brought well-regarded offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby with him to Norman, Williams opted to stay the course with the coach he trusted out of high school.

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Williams' recent comments to Ryan Clark about his frustration with Spencer Rattler winning Oklahoma's starting quarterback job in 2021 sparked speculation that the decision factored into his move. Williams said he had to "pivot" after Rattler landed the starting job. While there wasn't any expectation that Williams would start, the Washington D.C. product said he intended to beat out Rattler and believed he did in the offseason.

"I was so angry, so frustrated, because ... that wasn't what I wanted to hear," Williams said.

Caleb Williams committed to @OU_Football out of high school knowing that Spencer Rattler was the returning starter. Not only was Rattler the starter, but a projected 1st round pick. @CALEBcsw told everyone he’d win the starting job, & actually thought he did enough to be the… pic.twitter.com/ojxmAMh8oV

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) April 20, 2024

Still, it was Riley who made the decision to start Rattler. Williams followed Riley to Los Angeles anyway, so it doesn't appear he had any lasting resentment over the decision to start Rattler.

After all, it's rare for a true freshman quarterback to start anywhere, let alone a team with realistic College Football Playoff hopes. Williams might have believed he did enough to beat out Rattler — and the on-field results support that idea — but Williams still chose to stick with Riley.

"I knew that Lincoln was the best in the country," Williams told Clark, describing his decision to commit to Oklahoma. 

By the time that Williams entered the transfer portal after the 2021 season, Rattler had already transferred to South Carolina. The Oklahoma job belonged to Williams if he wanted it, but he chose to remain with the coach who helped produce two Heisman Trophy winners and No. 1 picks in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.

BENDER: The legendary high school game that launched Caleb Williams' career

Caleb Williams recruiting ranking

Williams was ranked as the No. 8 player in the class of 2021, according to 247 Sports. He came in at No. 7 in 247 Sports' composite rankings and No. 17 in ESPN's recruiting rankings.

Quinn Ewers was the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the 2021 class, but Williams stole the show as a true freshman while Ewers waited behind C.J. Stroud at Ohio State. 

The top of the 2021 recruiting class is littered with notable 2024 NFL Draft prospects in addition to Williams, including Dallas Turner, Amarius Mims, Kool-Aid McKinstry and JC Latham. 

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Caleb Williams stats