Caleb Williams Gives Thanks, Arrives at Elite 11 Finals in Last Blog Before Commitment
Caleb Williams is the top quarterback prospect in the 2021 class with scholarship offers from elite programs coast to coast. He has agreed to give Sports Illustrated exclusive access into his world by chronicling everything from his experience as a high profile recruit to his home life and preparation for his senior season. This is 'All on the Line.'
Hey guys! Welcome back to another week of Caleb Williams: All on the Line.
These past two weeks have been pretty eventful for me. Today (Sunday) I left from Washington, D.C. to hop on a flight to Nashville to be here a day early. Didn't really do much today, just got here and got some food, got settled in and rested. Just getting ready for tomorrow, to go dominate.
My mom and dad made sure we took precautions to stay as safe as we could throughout our trip and when we got here. Masks, glasses, gloves, washing our hands as I always say. Just making sure we're staying germ free as much as possible in this tough time.
Being able to get this opportunity, to come to the Elite 11, is awesome. I've wanted to do it since I was a little bit younger, when I started playing quarterback. I've always wanted to come to this camp. Last year I scored really high in the regionals, but couldn't come because I wasn't a rising senior and this is a senior quarterback camp -- so I was hoping we had this camp and it wouldn't get cancelled because of COVID-19. I just feel like last year I could have been there and done really well.
I've been going through the script for the Elite 11, working on a bunch of throws, working on live routes and things like that with the wide receivers, just to make sure I'm ready for this moment. I'm going out there to make sure everybody knows -- and they can get their own idea -- of me. Where I am, what they think of me.
But I'm going there to compete and learn from the coaches.
Last week I threw three times, it was really working on the Elite 11 routes they gave us. Also with the new footballs they gave us. New footballs are a pain to throw for the first time so I threw it for about three days this past week.
Today's blog is a thank you type of thing. This is like my thank you to everybody.
So thank you to...
* My family, my whole family, the Williams family. Uncle Don, Aunt Maria; my cousins.
* Coach Mark, Coach Russ - my mentors, my trainers. Been with me from the beginning. I could talk about them all day, but they already know. We riding together until the end.
* All my tutors for coming in early and staying late with me. And then there is Miss Vicky, especially Miss Vicky. She's always a huge help for me - the whole time. And she's at every home game right behind the bench, always got my back. Couldn't have done it without you.
* All my teachers, all my old coaches. Coach Fox, Coach Kirk. The whole Bowie program.
* All the QB gurus that have had a hand in my development - first and foremost my mentor Coach Russ, my first youth league OC and QB coach; Coach Baucia - QBFactory and the QBFactory family. Coach Baucia's been there from the beginning, working with me every week. Taught me how to take a snap under center. Special dude. Scottie Montgomery saw something in me at Duke camp and always been there for me. Coach Tony Ballard, met him up at FBU camp my first year as a QB and he's always been there for me. Going to ATL to see him. Him calling me, talking me through stuff, special dude. Coach Will Hewlett - traveled all the way to the west coast to work with him when I was like 12 - we still talk all the time.
* QB Collective Family - Richmond Flowers, Coach Mike Shanahan, Coach Kyle Shanahan, Coach Sean McVey, Coach LaFleur, Coach McDaniel, everybody. Special times. Learning from the best from the classroom to the field. Taking individual time with me as a little kid. Means so much to me, very special. Thank you.
* Coach Joe, Coach Gwen and the family. That's my family there. They are my swimming coaches, they've helped me throughout. They check up on me all the time.
* Kendra, my hot yoga instructor
* Coach Bernard Williams, my speed coach. He always checks on me, too.
* A special shout out to all the doctors that have helped me make sure I'm healthy throughout my season and keeping me on the field.
* My recovery team from Tissue Issue Jessica, Antwoine and Ms. Rhonda.
* All my Bowie brothers, my fab five, they know who they are.
* The Athletic Republic team and all my brothers at AR. And Coach Justin for letting me mop up all those DBs every week. Iron sharpens iron.
* Special thank you to Gonzaga, Tom Buchanan, Mr. Scott McCaleb, thank you for believing in me and my family. Helping me get into Gonzaga.
* The WCAC for being the best league in the country and through competition helping to prepare me.
* Gonzaga coaches and trainers. All the Gonzaga teachers, especially Mr. Donnellan, Mr. Ross, Ms. Piper.
* The Gonzaga family and administration.
* All my Gonzaga brothers, past and present.
* Coach Trivers - my head coach at Gonzaga. Coach T took a chance on me as a freshman. Gave me the keys to the Ferrari. Trusted and believed in me, pushed me. I love you coach, thank you.
* And then there's Coach Shaq - my QB coach and offensive coordinator at Gonzaga. Coach Shaq is my guy. Hard to describe. We spend so much time together. We got something special - Always on the Beach.
* Lastly, mom and my dad for always being there for me and supporting whatever dream I had.
If I forgot anybody, count that to me being a little overwhelmed and not to my heard or my love for you. Just kind of saying all of these names right off the top of my head. Count that to that and not where you are on my heart. So thank you! Thank you all.
This week coming up should be a really great week for me and I can't wait.
Signing off, Caleb Williams: All on the Line.
Make sure you're staying positive, staying safe and washing your hands.
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All on the Line: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17
Twitter: @CALEBcsw
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*Photos courtesy of Caleb Williams