Heisman Watch: Caleb Williams wild, broken play touchdown launches trophy defense

Caleb Williams is a generational quarterback and he proves it every time he takes the field for the USC Trojans.

Even when he makes a blunder, he finds a way to spin it it into gold.

In the second quarter of USC's season opener against San Jose State, Williams dropped a snap. It looked like it might end in disaster for the Trojans but the quarterback scooped the ball back up and and then launched the longest touchdown pass of his career at 76 yards.

A lesser quarterback might have just fallen on that ball or recovered it and thrown it away to avoid trouble. But Williams is no ordinary quarterback. He looked downfield and, with a man in his face, found Tahj Washington running free.

Heisman Watch: Caleb Williams' poise on broken plays sets him apart

That's the kind of play that makes Williams so special. USC's offense is never out of it when he's able to turn nothing into something. It's no wonder NFL teams are likely to tank for the USC QB. He's a shoo-in to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

In the first half of play against San Jose State, Williams was 8-of-11 for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Williams won the Heisman Trophy last year with 4,527 yards and 42 touchdowns through the air. He had 10 rushing touchdowns as well.

The goal for 2023 is to take USC to a national title but on an individual level, Williams is also set up to do something that hasn't been done in college football since Archie Griffin in 1975: Win a second Heisman Trophy.

The biggest barrier to Williams repeating as the Heisman winner might be the Trojan defense. It's tough to win one Heisman let alone two if you're not contending for a College Football Playoff spot. Early returns for the USC defense weren't great with a halftime scoreline of 21-14.