Caleb Williams speaks out publicly for first time about OU’s coaching change

Aside from who was going to be the next head coach, the biggest issue facing the Oklahoma football program after the surprising news that Lincoln Riley was leaving was and still is the future status of starting quarterback Caleb Williams.

Would the No. 1 quarterback in the 2021 class remain at Oklahoma or choose to take his game elsewhere in the absence of the coach who brought him to OU and, candidly, was the main reason for Williams signing with the Sooners.

At the beginning of the 2021 college football season. Oklahoma was blessed with two former five-star quarterbacks on the roster. Most every other college program in the country would give almost anything to have even one such talent at the quarterback position.

Now, as we sit here in mid-December a couple of weeks away from the Sooners’ postseason bowl game against Pac-12 runner-up Oregon, Oklahoma has already lost one of their former No. 1 quarterbacks, Spencer Rattler, to the transfer portal and is in danger of losing the other one. Both were actually Heisman candidates at one point this season.

Coming off an outstanding redshirt-freshman season, Rattler started the first six games this season for the Sooners. Although Rattler showed flashes of his prior-year’s success, the Sooner offense struggled to find consistency and his ball security became an issue.

Rattler was replaced by Williams late in the first half against Texas after Oklahoma had fallen behind 35-17. The rest has been well documented as the true freshman Williams became the starter and finished out the final six games of the regular season.

Williams has not said much about all the changes going on in the OU football program and has given no real indication of what his intentions are looking ahead to the 2022 season.

At the time the official announcement was made that Riley was leaving OU — not for LSU, as was widely rumored up to and following the Oklahoma loss to Oklahoma State in the regular-season finale, but instead for USC — Williams sent out a brief message via Twitter, congratulating his now former head coach:

"“I am happy for Coach Riley, mamma Riley, Sloan and Stella for that huge opportunity ahead. That’s all I plan to say right now.”"

That was on Nov. 28. The OU freshman quarterback, whose friends and teammates like to refer to as “Superman,” has been seen since in public attending OU basketball games as well as in attendance at the welcoming ceremony introducing Venables, but he has remained mum on the coaching change and his plans.

Although we still don’t know what’s really going in in Williams’ head as far as his plans for next season — and we probably won’t until after Oklahoma’s Alamo Bowl game on Dec. 29 — he did have some things to say about the current situation as an interview guest on “The Podcast on the Prairie,” hosted by a couple of his Sooner teammates, Jeremiah Hall and Brayden Willis.

"“I like Riley, I’ve always liked Riley, as you know,” Williams said. “I mean, I came here to be coached by him. Happy for him, his family, that situation they are at. I haven’t been mad at the guy, just a little surprised by it.”"

Williams was actually surprised like the rest of us by Riley’s sudden decision to move on. But he also acknowledged that he was excited about Brent Venables coming on as the new head coach and that he already has a prior relationship with Venables from when Williams was being recruited by Clemson.

"“I’ve known Coach BV (Venables) for a while now just because of all the Clemson visits I used to go on,” Williams said. “He had a whole lot of energy then, he still has a whole lot of energy, he’s going to keep having a whole lot of energy.“I think it was a great hire to have Coach BV here.”"

That’s all good and nice to hear, but actually not surprising that arguably the most valuable player on the Sooner team would say those things.

The relationship Williams really needs to have and feel good about, though, and the one that will ultimately be the deciding factor in his decision to stay or go, is with new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby.

Lebby has served as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Baylor, UCF and Ole Miss over the past 14 seasons, and his quarterback pupils have included Bryce Petty and Charlie Brewer at Baylor, McKenzie Milton and Dillon Gabriel at UCF and, most recently, Matt Corrall at Ole Miss.

Lebby has the reputation currently as one of the hottest offensive coordinators in college football, much like was the case when Oklahoma brought in Lincon Riley seven seasons ago.

It may or may not be God’s will, but a church outside of Norman has taken up the cause of convincing Williams to remain a Sooner. A sign outside of St. Thomas More Catholic Church reads:

"“Caleb! We’re praying your staying.”"

They’re not alone. So is Sooner Nation.