With more than six quarters of play from quarterback Caleb Williams, the Oklahoma Sooners look like a completely different football team.
[mm-video type=video id=01fj7nqpt36yqs64yfrh playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fj7nqpt36yqs64yfrh/01fj7nqpt36yqs64yfrh-973db9747f736df95f53637f573ab808.jpg]
After nearly seven quarters of standout play from true freshman quarterback Caleb Williams, it’s safe to say his performance against the Texas Longhorns was no fluke.
Caleb Williams is the real deal.
Yes, the defenses he’s faced in his first extended action at the collegiate level aren’t the cream of the college football crop. However, he’s pretty much had his way with the Texas Longhorns and the TCU Horned Frogs the last two weeks. He looks far from a true freshman quarterback.
In his weekly observations, USA TODAY Sports College Football Analyst Erick Smith noted that the Sooners “look completely different” with Caleb Williams at quarterback.
After replacing Spencer Rattler last week, the true freshman got his first start at quarterback Saturday and was phenomenal in a 52-31 win against TCU. The stats might not even do the performance justice, which is saying something since Williams was 18-of-23 for 295 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 66 yards rushing on nine carries with one score. His presence also helped open up running lanes for Kennedy Brooks, who had 153 yards on the ground, giving him 370 in the past two games. For those counting, the offense has produced 87 points in its last six quarters since Williams took over. – Smith
As he mentions, the Oklahoma Sooners offense has scored a ton of points over the last game and a half. As important as the point totals are, the point differential is just as incredible.
Including the part of the second quarter where Caleb Williams replaced Spencer Rattler as the quarterback vs. the Longhorns, the Sooners have outscored their opponent 90 to 44.
Williams ability to run has forced defensive coordinators to commit more resources to that reality. That’s provided more opportunities for the Oklahoma wide receivers to see far more one-on-one coverage than they saw when teams played two-high safety looks vs. Spencer Rattler.
That same ability to run has opened up Oklahoma’s running game as well. Williams’s work in the backfield at the hand of forces opposing defenses to hesitate, allowing more time for the offensive line to get to their blocks in the running game.
But he isn’t simply a runner. Williams can sling it too. He was consistently challenging the TCU Horned Frogs deep on Saturday night. And though they didn’t find as much success throwing down the field, Williams willingness to let it fly led to several defensive pass interference calls drawn by the Sooners wide receivers.
Williams looked comfortable standing in the pocket and maneuvering when there was pressure, showing an awareness and comfort level to stand in and make the throws the Sooners need him to make.
Though it’s come a year earlier than people expected, the Caleb Williams era has arrived, and the Oklahoma Sooners look like a much more explosive team because of it.
[listicle id=42737]
