Former Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams has reportedly narrowed down his transfer options from four schools to two, with Wisconsin and USC becoming the finalists to land the 2021 breakout, according to On3’s Gerry Hamilton.
As of last week, UCLA and LSU were still reportedly in the mix for Williams. However, the latest news indicates that the rising sophomore is much closer to making his transfer decision.
USC still remains the favorite to earn a commitment from Williams, considering his connection to former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, who joined the Pac-12 program in late November. Last year's Trojans quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Kedon Slovis transferred away from the school this offseason, leaving an obvious hole at the position for 2022.
Paul Chryst's Wisconsin program emerged as a serious contender last week, according to Hamilton. The Badgers went 9–4 in 2021 with Graham Mertz, who threw for 1,958 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Chryst has shown a commitment to re-upping the team's offense, recently hiring former Ravens tight ends coach Bobby Engram to be the team's new offensive coordinator, and Williams could be the final piece of the puzzle.
Williams entered the transfer portal back on Jan. 3, after playing in 11 games as a true freshman for Oklahoma in the 2021 season. He threw for 1,912 yards with 21 touchdowns and four interceptions, while adding 442 yards and six scores on the ground.
Williams replaced former Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler against Texas back in October and led the Sooners to an impressive come-from-behind victory in the Red River Showdown. He remained the starter for the rest of the season.
