The next time you see Caleb Williams play, it’ll probably be on a Sunday, Monday or Thursday.
The Southern California quarterback is one of the top prospects for the 2024 NFL draft, and as is the case for a decent chunk of players with NFL aspirations, college bowl games might not be the most enticing matchup to lace ’em up for.
Heading into the 2023 Holiday Bowl, Williams falls into that camp. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and top prospect in next year’s draft decided a while ago that he won’t take the field in San Diego.
Here’s what to know about Williams’ absence from the Dec. 27 USC-Louisville Holiday Bowl matchup:
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Is Caleb Williams playing in the Holiday Bowl?
On Dec. 4, USC head coach Lincoln Riley announced that Williams would not be playing in the Holiday Bowl matchup vs. the Louisville Cardinals. Williams did not release a statement or announce his decision to sit out of the bowl.
In his stead, Moss Miller will be under center for USC for the matchup.
Williams hasn’t declared for the NFL draft, but if his decision to sit out the bowl game is any indication, all signs point to him moving on from college to the pros in the near future. Despite a down year for USC, Williams is still considered one of the top QB prospects in this year’s draft, alongside North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
That said, it hasn’t been a straight line to the draft stage for Williams. Earlier this year, Williams’ father, Carl Williams, made it clear that returning to school was an option if the teams at the top of the draft weren’t a fit for his son’s talents.
To that end, Williams returning to USC would be something of a surprise: Riley has been open about finding quarterback options to replace Williams (and also former recruit Malachi Nelson) for 2024, including scouring the transfer portal for a potential passer of the future.
Caleb Williams stats
After winning the Heisman in 2022, Williams couldn’t quite replicate his previous successes. He finished the 2023 season with 3,633 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. USC scuffled and finished 7-5, going 1-5 over its last six games.
In 2022, Williams threw for 4,531 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions, helping guide the Trojans to a Cotton Bowl appearance.
Williams’ dazzling 2022 season led to several awards in addition to the Heisman: He was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Pac-12, the Sporting News College Football Player of the Year and was voted a unanimous All-American.