Oklahoma got its man of the future on Saturday night.
No surprises, but No. 1 overall 2021 quarterback Caleb Williams committed to the Sooners on July 4. Fireworks were promised and fireworks are what happened on social media after the announcement.
Oklahoma last landed a No. 1 overall quarterback in 2019 when Spencer Rattler signed. It was a big moment then and will be a big moment when he makes his first start in 2020.
Here is what Williams’ commitment means for Lincoln Riley and the Sooners.
SETTING A STANDARD
Clemson and Georgia are the only schools close to setting this same standard, but even Dabo Swinney and the Tigers haven’t done it like Oklahoma has.
Clemson had Hunter Johnson, Trevor Lawrence on campus together and D.J. Uiagalelei. Georgia had to choose between Jake Fromm and Justin Fields. Oklahoma, though, will get to start Spencer Rattler for two years and then hand the reigns over smoothly to now Williams for two years, who is the No. 1 overall quarterback in the country.
The plan at first got blown up with Baker Mayfield getting an extra year and then Kyler Murray having a historic season in 2018. With that behind them, Oklahoma has set a standard in how to recruit the quarterback position: go all-in on every other recruiting class for the top quarterback in the class.
CONTINUED OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
It’s no secret what Oklahoma has been able to do offensively since Riley arrived in 2015. Heck, even the 2019 offense put up gaudy numbers despite having a quarterback that didn’t fit the mold as much as the others before him.
With Williams, Oklahoma is getting a guy who is going to continue on the trajectory of where the offense continues to head. It all but guarantees that as long as the Sooners continue to improve on defense, the offensive production when Williams’ time comes is going to be more than enough to give them a chance to win a national championship.
PROGRAM STABILITY
There’s no bigger impact a quarterback can have on a college football program than being the face of a culture.
Mayfield exuded that confidence. Murray did, too, but in his own way. Jalen Hurts was different: more serious, more out in the open about his work ethic, but the messaging was still the same. Rattler relates more to Mayfield, then Williams with Murray.
Anytime your best player can be your hardest worker, your calming voice and the guy you can lean on, the chances your program remains stable increases that much more. Williams provides an even longer duration of time where Oklahoma’s stability as a program will remain.
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