Williams has been instrumental in successfully turning around a program that went 4-8 in the 2021 season to a 11-2 team in 2022. The 7-victory increase from last season matches the biggest one-season turnaround in USC history. The other 7-game improvement was when the 1962 National Champion Trojans won 11 games after winning only 4 in the 1961 season.
Through 13 games, Williams has dazzled the nation with his elusive moves, his powerful arm and his thrilling runs. He has 47 TDs and 4 INTs. He is 296-for-448 (.661) for 4,075 yards. Williams has also rushed for 372 yards on 109 carries with 10 TDs. He has accounted for 47 total touchdowns (both passing and running) in 13 games. He broke the previous school record of 41 by Matt Barkley (2011) and Cody Kessler (2014).
Williams now has 4,447 total offensive yards in 2022, which ranks first on USC’s single-season list (Sam Darnold previously held the record with 4,225 total yards in 2017). His 372 rushing yards this season is also the most by a USC QB in the last 70 years since complete records were available. The previous record was 342 by Jim Sears in 1952. Williams leads USC with 10 rushing TDs on the season.
Williams is No. 1 in the nation in in passing TDs (37). He is also No. 1 in the nation in points responsible for per game (21.7) and points responsible for (282). Williams is No. 3 in the nation in passing yards (4,075). He is No. 6 in the nation in passing efficiency (167.9), passing yards per game (313.5) and total offense (342.1). Williams is No. 7 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.10).
As an offense, USC is No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the Pac-12 in team passing efficiency (168.69). USC also leads the Pac-12 in passing yards per completion (13.75). USC is No. 4 in the nation in 3rd down conversion percentage (.516), No. 4 in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in scoring offense (41.1), No. 5 in the nation in total offense (499.8) and No. 5 in the nation in passing offense (325.7).
Williams is currently No. 7 on USC’s Single Season Passing Leaders list with 296 completions. He is on pace to become USC’s all-time single season passing leader.
Former Trojan Cody Kessler currently holds the USC record for the lowest rate of interceptions in a season with 1.1% (5 in 452 attempts in 2014). Williams is on pace to overtake that record since he is currently at 0.9% (4 in 407 attempts).
In addition to being named the Heisman Trophy winner, Williams also won the Maxwell Award, and was named the AP Player of the Year, the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the CBS Sports Player of the Year. He was named a finalist for the Manning Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. So far, he has been selected to 5 All-American First Teams (Walter Camp, FWAA, PFF, The Athletic, CBS Sports). He was selected as PFF First Team All-American, . He was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and earned placement on the Allstate Good Works Team for his philanthropic efforts.
Williams kicked off the season with a 66-14 victory in his Trojan debut. He went 19-for-22 for 249 yards and 2 TDs. His 86.3 completion percentage was the best by a Trojan quarterback with a minimum of 20 attempts since Matt Barkley had a 95.0 completion percentage vs. Colorado on Oct. 20, 2012. Williams also led USC in rushing with 68 yards on six carries. He then led the Trojans to a 41-28 win over Stanford. Williams went 20-of-27 for 341 yards and 4 TDs and was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week and the CFPA National Performer of the Week. Against Fresno State, he went 25-of-37 for 284 yards and 2 TDs to lead USC to a 45-17 victory. He also scored 2 rushing TDs against the Bulldogs, which were the most in a game by a Trojan QB since Sam Darnold scored twice on the ground in 2017 at Washington State.
In a nailbiter at Oregon State, Williams went 16-of-36 for 180 yards and 1 TD. He also rushed for 27 yards on 9 carries as the Trojans won 17-14. Williams had an impressive performance going 27-of-37 (.730) for 348 yards and 3 TDs to lead the Trojans to a 42-25 victory over Arizona State in the Coliseum. His 348 passing yards and 27 completions were single-game bests this season. He also rushed for 44 yards on 8 carries with 1 TD. This was his third rushing TD of the year.
Against Washington State Williams went 15-of-29 (.517) for 188 yards and 2 TDs. In USC’s game against Utah in Salt Lake City he went 15-of-29 (.517) for 188 yards and 2 TDs. Williams threw for a career-best 411 yards and 5 TDs in USC’s 45-37 victory over Arizona in Tucson. He went 31-of-45 (.689) with zero INTs. He also rushed for 14 yards on 4 carries. It was the first time that a USC QB had consecutive games with 5 passing TDs since Kedon Slovis threw 5 consecutive TDs vs. Washington State and at UCLA in 2020.
Williams threw for 360 yards and 4 TDs in USC’s 41-35 victory over California on Nov. 5 in the Coliseum. He went 26-of-41 (.634) with zero INTs. He also rushed for 38 yards and 1 TD. Williams went 14-of-26 (.538) for 268 and 3 TDs and 1 INT to lead USC to a 55-17 victory over Colorado in the Coliseum under the Friday night lights on Nov. 11. He totaled 5 TD, 3 through the air and 2 rushing. This was the fourth consecutive game that Williams accounted for 5 total TDs. He threw just his second pick of the season. He is the first USC QB to have had 2 games with multiple rushing TDs in the same season since complete records were first available for this stat in 1972.
Against crosstown rival UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Nov. 19, Williams impressed the nation and helped the Trojans defeat the Bruins 48-45. He went 32-of-43 (.744) for a career-high 470 yards and 2 TDs and rushed for 33 yards on 8 carries with 1 TD. Williams’ 503 total yards set a USC single game record. The previous record was held by Kedon Slovis who had 502 yards versus UCLA in 2019. His 503 total yards was also the most by any player in the series’ 92-game history. In the Notre Dame game on Nov. 26, the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football, Williams went 18-for-22 passing (.818) for 232 yards and 1 TD while leading the Trojans to a 38-27 win. He also had 9 carries for 35 yards rushing and 3 TDs. Even after suffering a hamstring injury at the beginning of the Dec. 2, Pac-12 Championship Game, Williams played through the pain in what USC head coach Lincoln Riley called the gutsiest performance he has ever seen. He still threw for 363 yards with 3 touchdowns, and also had a dazzling 59-yard run.
Since 1935, the Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. The winners of the trophy epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance and hard work.
