Top QB Williams Studying Drew Brees, Working Out with Fellow Recruits During Spring Break
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.'
What's up?
Back for Week 6.
My grandfather always says, "where there is a will, there is a way. You are a Williams, find a way to get it done."
It took a couple of weeks but my dad and his construction crew got my grandparents' pool open and we went to work.
I'm getting into a routine now that it's been the second week I've been out because of this pandemic that we're all going through. I hope everybody is safe and healthy, staying strong through it.
I'm getting a better plan now, just to better myself. I'm an okay athlete and all but to better myself, I'm getting more of a structured plan of workouts and what I'm doing within those workouts. I've been training at a high level for a while now but lately I've wanted to step my game up.
Young Caleb Williams and fellow 2021 recruit Wayne Matthews
Me and my dad, plus my mentor Coach Mark (McCain), and a speed trainer (Kea Mercer) that I worked with -- we're getting in the pool twice a week. I'm working on my flexibility twice a week, also, with another specialist. I obviously also have Gonzaga meetings and team sessions three days out of the week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
The team is good. We have a really good leader in front of us with Coach T (Randy Trivers). He always calls the captains, we have a group chat and he makes sure we're fine. He can't lead the team by himself but he makes sure everybody is doing well and on track. With us as the leaders, having good morale and a smile on our faces, even through the pandemic and this tough time, and seeing each others faces and laughing on the virtual calls makes it like we're still together.
We always do this thing when there's a birthday. We always dance, no matter when coach calls it out, it could be mid practice, before or after. We always dance. Matter of fact it was actually Coach T's birthday this week, he didn't think anybody knew, and we called him out. He danced for us and boogied a little bit. He's still got it, a little bit, not much [laughing].
As a team we're communicating a lot more. We're in our group chats, we're FaceTiming, we're calling more, so our brotherhood is really tightened. We're going to keep it pushing and keep this thing going.
The pool workouts are for overall strength but it also gives you resistance that not many people can give you. I also had one of my really good friends in there giving me resistance, Jalen McCain (2021 Boston College commitment). It was to build strength and to become more explosive. You being the most explosive player on the field is a pretty, pretty good advantage. Just go look at Deshaun Watson, obviously Lamar Jackson, he's always the most explosive player on the field.
But it doesn't just apply to running, it applies to be able to throw with a little bit more juice behind the ball when you need it. Being able to throw it a little bit farther. You have to work on your mechanics to do that, but having that force behind it coming from the pool helps.
I also threw this week, with a recruit, one of my good friends I've known for a bunch of years -- Malcolm Johnson, Jr. We played pee wee ball together. He's one of the people I'm trying to get to go to school with me wherever I go. We worked this week and he was flying. I don't know where he's ranked in track but it's high and he's one of the fastest kids in the nation. Never hurts to have one of those guys on your team. I was trying to get a connection and hopefully play with him at the next level.
When I was throwing with Malcolm, it was actually on paper. It was a bunch of throws and routes the people would want to see in the NFL. It was basically a scripted pro day to better myself and Malcolm for the future.
A sample of the pro day script for Williams and Johnson
Schools are still calling, it's been the same communication with my top schools. I'm just building a better bond with them.
I FaceTimed Coach (Lincoln) Riley a little bit this week. He showed me a few clips of Drew Brees and thought I would like it so I called him and he showed me more of Brees manipulating the defense and doing what he wants them to do. It's kind of cool just knowing what the defense is doing. It's being able to do the opposite or basically just control them to make them do what you want.
The front side of the play, he looked over there really fast. He looked over and held the safety, he came back over knowing he had a dig backside. He also had Alvin Kamara coming out of the backfield and the linebacker was watching Drew's eyes, basically following him. So he looked at Kamara because he knew he wanted to come back to the deep dig, which is a variation of an in-route. He pulled the linebacker down to create more space in the hole for the dig and for the receiver by looking at Kamara, pumping him, and then getting back to the dig route. It was kind of cool watching him mess with the defense with his hand and feet movement but ultimately knowing where he wants to go with the ball.
I want to learn how to basically control the defense and make them do what I want them to do. They have their rules and the things they have to do and you know in the heat of the fire, you're not always going to be correct. Nobody is perfect. But that's when being able to have a bigger role, having them do what I want them to do, helps my team win.
I FaceTimed with Clemson, Coach (Tony) Elliot this week. That was just to check up on me to see how everybody is doing and for them to see how I'm working out and progressing with the pandemic. He's an awesome guy, he's a wonderful guy and a wonderful coach as you can tell. Christian man, great family man.
I FaceTimed with Coach O (Ed Orgeron). He came with the heat. The energy, he always brings that to the table. He just wanted to talk and see how the family was doing. We hadn't FaceTimed in a while so we talked about our families and the next time I'm down at LSU to get some food and things like that. He always talks about his famous ham sandwich, and I'm a guy who likes ham sandwiches. So I told him the next time I come I want this famous ham sandwich.
Oh man, I don't want to tell you guys about the other ham sandwich. Before the pool workout this week I ate a freaking honey ham sandwich. I make this one every day. Honey ham, with pickles and mustard, a little cheese, toasted sometimes with a little butter. I woke up kind of late and needed to eat before the workout but I ate way too late.
I ended up hurling towards the end of the workout and I was so mad at myself. I've never been caught hurling by Coach Mark. He always brings the heat when we workout and he caught me this time. That’s alright; I got right back at it and will add even more intensity to this week’s workouts. Hit me online and let me know about your workouts.
Still got my recruiting hat on. DM me if you wanna talk.
I hope everybody is staying healthy, strong and safe.
Make sure you wash your hands.
Caleb Williams, All on the Line, signing out from Week 6!
All on the Line: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5
Twitter: @CALEBcsw
Instagram: ayeeecaleb
* All photos and video courtesy of Caleb Williams