Kiffin-Williams '22? Why Caleb Williams Is A Fit in Oxford
For Caleb Williams, the goal is simple: reach the NFL.
Williams has quickly become one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal after he announced that he was leaving Oklahoma on Jan. 3. As The Grove Report reported on Friday, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has been in frequent contact with Williams' camp since he entered the portal.
Would Williams be a good fit in Oxford under Kiffin? If his goal is to reach the NFL, history would indicate yes.
Not only has Kiffin coached in the NFL, albeit briefly, for the Oakland Raiders, he also has a history of putting players into the league in his college coaching history. Case in point: Matt Corral.
Corral is projected to be one of the first, if not the first, quarterback off the board in the NFL Draft in April after being essentially benched for John Rhys Plumlee in the 2019 season. Corral won back the starting job under Kiffin's leadership, and his and Kiffin's relationship has been mutually beneficial at Ole Miss.
Kiffin helped Corral get to the NFL, and Corral helped Kiffin reach 10 wins in his second season in Oxford.
Kiffin also worked under Nick Saban at Alabama, coached Heisman winners and put numerous players in the NFL. That's a common occurrence at Alabama, sure, but Kiffin has often been credited with revolutionizing the Crimson Tide's offense during his stay in Tuscaloosa.
And, perhaps more relevant, Kiffin has a way of working wonders with quarterbacks. Williams clearly has the talent to succeed at the Power Five level based on his freshman stats at Oklahoma, throwing for almost 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns in a season where he didn't begin as the team's starter. That level of skill under Kiffin's apprenticeship would be a recipe for a lot of success in Oxford.
While new Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is a young up-and-comer in the industry and hasn't proven himself at the SEC level, he and Kiffin have ties at previous stops, and if Kiffin likes him enough to bring him on staff at Ole Miss, odds are he can be successful.
Caleb Williams' decision will likely hinge on what coaching staff he believes can get him to the NFL in the most efficient manner, but the clock is ticking. Odds are that Williams will want to register for classes at his school of choice this semester and go through spring football. At Ole Miss, the last date to register for classes is Jan. 31 per the registrar's office, and other schools are likely around that time as well.
That leaves around three weeks before the quarterback's decision will likely need to be made. If Williams came to Oxford, he also might attract a plethora of other talent out of the portal, something that can only help Kiffin's cause next season.
The clock is ticking, but Kiffin and other coaches around the country are likely willing to wait until the last moment if it means they can secure this level of talent. Where Williams will go remains to be seen, but if he came to Ole Miss, he might just fit like a glove.
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