Caleb Williams

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams had a coming out party on Saturday, establishing himself as a superstar and potential Heisman Trophy candidate with a dominant performance against Stanford.

The sophomore signal-caller went 20-of-27 for 341 yards and four touchdowns to lead the No. 10 Trojans to a 41-28 victory over the Cardinal. Williams was 13-of-15 for 244 yards and four scores in the first half alone.

A breakout performance came at the right time for Williams, as USC was playing in a nationally-televised primetime matchup. With all eyes on him, he rose to the occasion and didn't look like he felt any added pressure.

Anyone watching Saturday's game could see that the Trojans have something special on their hands with Williams. Social media lit up with many praising him as the next big thing in college football.

Williams transferred to USC from Oklahoma, following head coach Lincoln Riley after he departed the Sooners to take the position with the Trojans. They both appear to have made a seamless transition to the West Coast.

It has been quite some time since USC has been the national powerhouse it once was. The last time the Trojans finished a season ranked in the top five was 2016 when they went 10-3 and defeated Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

With Williams under center for at least one more season after 2022, the future appears to be bright for USC.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams is doing more than just throwing touchdown passes this fall.

As Pete Thamel of ESPN noted, Williams and fellow USC communications students produced and filmed a national public service announcement called "Seize the Awkward" in an effort to increase awareness about the importance of mental health.

"I want to be a voice, be a brother for whoever is dealing with [mental health] challenges," Williams said. "I'm not different. We all go through some struggles. Depending on who you are, you take things different. I'm trying to be there for whoever I can."

The PSA was done as part of a collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the Jed Foundation, the Ad Council and Caleb Cares. Caleb Cares is Williams' charitable organization, and the Jed Foundation focuses on suicide prevention for young adults.

Williams also painted his fingernails with the suicide prevention number last year.

On the field, the quarterback transferred from Oklahoma to USC this past offseason. That the move came after Lincoln Riley, who was Williams' former head coach with the Sooners, took over the Trojans program made it all the more notable.

If Williams lives up to expectations in 2022, he will be a Heisman Trophy contender and could help lead USC to the Pac-12 title and into the College Football Playoff discussion.

He led the Trojans to a 66-14 win over Rice in the season opener and faces Stanford in the Pac-12 opener on Saturday.

Topps has secured NIL deals for trading card rights with about 200 student-athletes, including some of the biggest stars in college football, per Jeremy Crabtree of On3.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett and USC quarterback Caleb Williams are among the big names already involved in the project.

Young won the Heisman Trophy last season and should be a favorite to win again after throwing 47 touchdowns in 2021. Williams could also be a top contender after transferring to USC from Oklahoma, following head coach Lincoln Riley.

"I’m so excited to team up with Fanatics and Topps on this new trading card partnership," Williams said in a news release. "(It) will allow me to create an even deeper level of engagement with fans and collectors everywhere."

Bennett led the Bulldogs to a national championship last season and should once again be in the spotlight for one of the best teams in college football.

Topps also secured deals with upcoming basketball stars, including Duke's Dereck Lively II and Arkansas' Nick Smith, two of the top three players in the 2022 class according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams is making good use of his rising star, becoming a part-owner of the grooming brand Faculty.

Williams is set to become an ambassador of the brand as part of his deal, appearing in ad "campaigns, collaborations and revenue partnerships," per Obi Anyanwu of WWD.com. 

The 19-year-old, who played last season at Oklahoma before following coach Lincoln Riley to USC, is known to paint his nails and said his passion for nail art comes from his mother, who is a nail technician. 

“You know, some people love it, some people hate it,” Williams said. “Either way, I don’t really care. I never have been one to care much about what people have to say or think about me. I just kind of do as I feel and if people like it great, if they don’t, whatever. I feel like everyone should express themselves however they chose. If me painting my nails playing football helps some people feel more confident in expressing themselves, then great.”

Faculty co-founder Fenton Jagdeo met with Williams for the first time in late 2021, and they began exploring a partnership that would work for both sides under the NCAA's new rules allowing players to profit off their name, image and likeness. The company launched in 2020 with a focus on nail art and has since quickly expanded thanks to a number of high-profile investors.

Jagdeo says adding Williams to the fold will help expand the brand exposure among young athletes. 

“For Caleb, when you get him early you start to interact with his audience," Jadego said "We’re interested in getting young athletes, we’re interested in the demo so we can show the comfort of expressing. As we start to grow, expect to see product collaborations, expect to see campaigns. We’re still in the primitive days of the relationship, but expect to see that. He mentioned his efforts in mental health, so we’re thinking how we can tie them together.”

Williams is expected to enter the 2022 season among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. He threw for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns against four interceptions while adding 442 yards and six scores as a rusher during his freshman campaign. 

Caleb Williams has landed his first NIL deal since transferring from Oklahoma to USC, signing with Beats by Dre, the company announced Friday. 

Williams announced his decision to transfer to USC earlier this week after spending just one season with the Sooners. He followed new Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley, who coached him at Oklahoma in 2021, to California. 

Williams served as the Sooners starting quarterback in 2021, replacing Spencer Rattler, who was inconsistent. He completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns against four interceptions in 11 games. He also rushed for 442 yards and six scores.