Latest news with #CalebWilliams
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caleb Williams Predicted to Shatter Bears Passing Record in 1st Year With Ben Johnson
Caleb Williams Predicted to Shatter Bears Passing Record in 1st Year With Ben Johnson originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Bears have an illustrious history stretching back more than a century, though it is devoid of even a single great quarterback during the Super Bowl era. Advertisement Jim McMahon is the only Bears signal-caller with a championship ring, though he won it with the overwhelming support of one of the best defenses in NFL history. In terms of career resumé, Jay Cutler is the most prolific thrower of the football ever to wear a Chicago uniform, and it's unclear how much he ever cared about the sport or being great at it while he was playing. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft was supposed to change all that. The Bears landed former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and got off to a 4-2 start. Then a 10-game losing streak struck, and Williams watched as his offensive coordinator and head coach get fired, though his view was often obscured by the turf stuck in his helmet following any number of the league-leading 68 sacks he endured. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Chicago's front office called on former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this offseason, luring him to the Windy City with the promise Williams' talent and $13 million annually over a five-year contract to save the purported savior of the Bears' cursed QB room. Advertisement Johnson subsequently added three new interior offensive linemen, all of whom appear likely to start. He then spent the team's first two draft picks on a stud tight end and a stud slot receiver to round out Williams' weapons alongside Nos. 1 and 2 wideouts DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Now, it's time to put it all together during training camp. Jeffri Chadiha of expects Johnson, Williams and the rest of the Bears offense will do just that, predicting on Thursday, June 19, that the quarterback will break the all-time franchise record for passing yards in just his second season. "One thing that shouldn't be doubted is whether he'll become the first Chicago signal-caller to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Williams won't just reach that barrier; he'll blow it away, especially when considering all the advantages he has working for him now," Chadiha wrote. "Williams threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns last season when he was running for his life and trying too hard to extend plays. Better coaching and an improved supporting cast will make life much easier for him, and the numbers will bear that out." Chadiha projected Williams to throw for 4,500 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2025. Related: NFL Reveals Bears' Key Dates for 2025 Training Camp This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Andrew Vorhees in focus
The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 72 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take a look at former USC All-America offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees. Position: Offensive line Advertisement Years played at USC: 2017-2022 Career highlights: It did not take long for Vorhees to earn a starting role at USC, emerging as the Trojans' right guard by the fifth game of his true freshman year in 2017. Outside of the 2019 season—in which he missed all but two games due to an ankle injury—he held down a starting role for the rest of his time on campus. Taking advantage of his extra COVID year of eligibility in 2022, Vorhees emerged as one of the top offensive linemen in the country. He was named a first-team All-American that season, and won the Morris Trophy as the top lineman in the Pac-12 Conference. Vorhees's blocking played an instrumental role in USC quarterback Caleb Williams winning the 2022 Heisman Trophy. After USC: At the 2023 NFL combine, Vorhees tore his ACL during the on-field drills portion of the event. Despite this, however, he still remarkably put up 38 reps on the bench press, drawing national acclaim for his perseverance. Advertisement The Baltimore Ravens selected Vorhees in the 7th round of the 2023 NFL draft. After missing his entire rookie season due to the aforementioned ACL injury, he returned to the field in 2024 and saw significant playing time at offensive guard. Vorhees will look to play an even bigger role for the team in 2025. This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football countdown to kickoff recalls Trojan OL Andrew Vorhees
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
CBS Sports ranks Caleb Williams as one of the most impactful transfers in portal era
CBS Sports ranks Caleb Williams as one of the most impactful transfers in portal era It is no secret that the NCAA transfer portal has drastically affected the landscape of college football. Since the portal was created back in 2018, college football roster construction has turned into a very different endeavor than it was prior. Recently, CBS Sports released their ranking of the most impactful college transfers of the portal thus far. Former USC quarterback Caleb Williams made the list, coming in at No. 5. Here is what they had to say about Williams: 'Williams achieved nearly everything possible during his two years at USC, except a conference title and a College Football Playoff berth,' writer Cody Nagel wrote. 'That caveat tempers his status among top transfers of the portal era. After following Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma, Williams delivered a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in 2022. His off-script playmaking ability set him apart, but he also put up eye-popping numbers: 8,170 passing yards, 72 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, along with 21 rushing touchdowns. Williams raised the ceiling for USC's offense, but without the overall team success to match, his legacy as a transfer remains more individual than program-altering.' Williams certainly had plenty of highlight reel plays during his time at USC. Ultimately, however, the lack of team success that the Trojans had on the field during his time in Cardinal and Gold—even though much of it was not his fault—somewhat detracts from Williams's college football legacy, pushing him down to No. 5 on the list.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Ex-Bears coach Matt Eberflus finally responds to Caleb Williams tape controversy
Matt Eberflus made many mistakes as the Bears' head coach, but there's one that he's disputing. 'In the development of the quarterback position, and really all positions at my time with the Bears, we always had daily, coached film sessions,' Eberflus said on 'The Doomsday Podcast' to host Ed Werder. 'That was all through the entire year. So, that's what I observed and that's where it was.' This comes after it was reported that Chicago's then-rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams would watch game and practice film with no guidance from his coaching staff. 3 Matt Eberflus speaks with Ed Werder on 'The Doomsday Podcast' and addresses claims that Caleb Williams received no help in film sessions. The Doomsday Podcast 'No one tells me what to watch,' Williams told his dad, Carl, according to ESPN. 'I just turn it on.' Williams, and especially his father, reportedly wanted no part in heading to the Bears in the 2024 draft because of their infamous history with quarterbacks — rarely ever building any promising franchise cornerstone at the position. 3 Caleb Williams will be under new coaching in his second NFL season. AP 'I don't want my son playing for the Bears,' Carl told several agents in 2024, as reported by ESPN from Seth Wickersham's upcoming book 'American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback.' 'Do I want to go there? I don't think I can do it with [former Bears offensive coordinator Shane] Waldron,' Wickersham quoted Caleb Williams saying in the book. Well, the Williamses were onto something as Eberflus and Waldron were fired midseason 3 Matt Eberflus was fired from the Bears head coaching position in November 2024. AP A disconnect was clearly present with the quarterback and his coaches, as seen on the field and with Eberflus' most recent comment addressing the film-watching criticisms. Williams struggled with the coaching carousel and the revolving-door-esque linemen in front of him in his rookie season, as he was sacked a league-high 68 times. But with a revamped offensive line and former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson taking over as head coach, the exciting flashes seen by Williams at times last season could very well become a more regular occurrence this year. As for Eberflus, he's heading into his first season as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator as he hopes to revitalize his coaching career — without any reports surrounding his coaching practices or any responsibilities to develop a franchise quarterback.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bears rookie Ozzy Trapilo discusses opportunity to win left tackle job
The Chicago Bears overhauled the interior offensive line this offseason in an effort to protect quarterback Caleb Williams. But there's still a starting job up for grabs at left tackle with Braxton Jones recovering from injury, and that job could very well go to rookie Ozzy Trapilo. The second-round offensive lineman has rotated with Kiran Amegadjie at left tackle with the starting offense during OTAs and minicamp, and it's clear both will be given an opportunity to win the job from incumbent starter Jones, who is expected to be limited to start training camp. Advertisement Trapilo has relished the opportunity to get those reps with the first-team offense during the offseason, and he's going to continue to make the most of his opportunities. That will continue into the summer, when the pads come on, as Trapilo looks to unseat Jones and beat out Amegadjie for a starting role as a rookie. "It's a really great opportunity," Trapilo said. "This is the perfect time for the coaches to do it. Rotate guys in. There are no pads or anything yet, so they're really just doing their best to get guys looks, get a feeling for it all. I'm going out there every opportunity I get, trying to make the most of it, and it's really beneficial to be able to work next to guys that have played in this league." Trapilo spoke about the importance of working alongside veterans who have experience playing in this league. For Trapilo, that means working alongside All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney, who is serving as a sounding board for the young rookie. "When we're out there, especially after a rep, the benefit of practice is you can get back to the huddle and talk a little bit about it," Trapilo said. "You don't have to move on to the next play." This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears rookie Ozzy Trapilo talks opportunity to win left tackle job
