Oklahoma football: Caleb Williams earns Big 12 Player of Week honors

Probably to no one’s surprise who follows Big 12 or Oklahoma football, QB Caleb Williams, who made his first collegiate start last weekend and helped the Sooners throttle TCU, is the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week.

Williams, the first true freshman to start a game at quarterback for Oklahoma since Cale Gundy in 1990, backed up his stellar performance the week before in the Sooners Red River rivalry win over Texas with another brilliant effort before the OU home crowd in a 52-31 win over TCU on Saturday.

This is the second consecutive week that Williams has received a Big 12 weekly honor. He was named Newcomer of the Week for his performance in the Sooners’ remarkable comeback win over Texas.

Against TCU and Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson’s defense on Saturday, Williams completed 18 of 23 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns. He also collected 66 yards on the ground and another touchdown on a 41-yard run. He was responsible for as many touchdowns (5) as incompletions in the game.

Williams’ four passing touchdowns and 295 yards through the air were both Oklahoma freshman records. His 261 passing yards in the first half alone are the most ever by a true freshman quarterback at OU in any half.

The former five-star prospect is the fourth Oklahoma true freshman to be named a Big 12 Offensive or Defensive Player of the Week. The others were: RB Adrian Peterson (three times in 2004), RB Samaje Perine (three times in 2014) and Marvin Mims (2020).

In addition to OU’s Williams, Oklahoma State DB Jason Taylor II and RB Jaylen Warren were named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week, and K Andrew Mevis of Iowa State was named Special Teams Player of the Week.