Overrated USC quarterback Caleb Williams only scores 5 TDs against Arizona State
Caleb Williams is overrated or he really — really — doesn’t want to play for the Arizona Cardinals next season.
How else can you explain the reality that he completed just 64.5% percent on 20-for-31 passing for 322 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona State late Saturday in a 42-28 USC win at Mountain America Stadium late Saturday?
This is the same ASU that barely got past Southern Utah, fell apart in the second half against Oklahoma State and was utterly embarrassed by Fresno State.
Williams should have had 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns by halftime.
Instead, late in the third quarter, with a chance to eclipse the Sun Devils, Williams took a blooper-reel caliber shotgun snap below the belt.
That wasn’t his only mistake.
On third-and-6 late in the first half, Williams threw a pass right at ASU cornerback Dee Ford. Ford couldn’t get in gear quickly enough to make the interception, but it was a bad throw nonetheless.
Williams also allowed himself to be sacked twice and threw to several receivers who didn’t catch the ball. He should know better than to stand behind linemen who miss blocks and throw to guys who don’t catch the ball — these plays, obviously, were all his fault.
Even his first touchdown run was evidence that Williams was tanking his shot to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft for fear that he might get picked by the Arizona Cardinals.
Williams ran, dived for the pylon and barely broke the plane of the goal line. (Kyler Murray would have turbo-buttoned his way around the defense for an easy walk-in score.)
There was also a play in the first quarter where Williams must have been trying to get himself hurt to diminish his value. The USC offense called a reverse and Williams got out in front as the lead blocker, like he was a walk-on fullback and not the best quarterback prospect in college football.
Caleb Williams, in Tempe, had an opportunity to be perfect and he wasn’t. And furthermore, he allowed his teammates to be imperfect.
So either he’s overrated, or he was tanking his shot to impress Arizona Cardinals General Manager Monti Ossenfort, who was on the sidelines before the game.
Well, actually there’s one more option: These words are all satire and Caleb Williams is on his way to a second-consecutive Heisman trophy as well as creating a quarterback controversy in the desert.
The guy did account for five total touchdowns in 42-point performance, after all.
There aren’t too many players in college football would could play an imperfect game and put up numbers like that.
Reach Moore at gmoore@azcentral.com or 602-444-2236. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @SayingMoore.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona State football makes Heisman-winning Caleb Williams look human
