Matt Leinart was happy to see USC quarterback Caleb Williams win the Heisman Trophy winner last season since Leinart won the award at the same school in 2004. And now that Williams is back at USC for his junior season, Leinart is confident that Williams can win the award for the second consecutive year. PopCulture.com spoke to Leinart, who revealed Williams’ chances of being the second player in college football history to win multiple Heismans.ย
“Obviously Archie Griffin’s the only one that’s won it twice, and there’s probably been a couple guys over the years where you could say they had the same type of season, if not better,” Leinart told PopCulture. “I think voter fatigue sometimes steps in and everyone wants a new face, but I wish, and I’m a voter, I wish we would all just kind of like a clean slate. Let’s give this trophy to the best player in college football who deserves it, whether it’s Caleb or whoever.”
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Leinart recently released his Heisman rankings for the 2023 season and had Williams listed No. 1. “He’s the best player in college football,” Leinart explained. “I think he’s going to have an even better season statistically. I think he’s going to have a better season as far as I think USC should and will get into the college football playoff. I think it would be a disappointment if they don’t, I mean they were close last year. And it’s just another year of him developing and playing with Lincoln Riley, which is a really scary combination. So I think he’s the favorite going into the season. As you know, these things could change week to week and things can happen, but he is as good as they come. I mean, that’s for sure.”
Williams and Leinart have become good friends because of the USC connection, which has also led to them starring in a new Wendy’s commercial to promote new items on the menu such as the nacho cheeseburger and the queso fries. “I’ve had a great kind of relationship with Wendy’s for years now with our partnership through Fox and the show that I’m on,” Leinart said. “But this year has been different for me with the campaign of doing the campaign with Caleb Williams, which has been awesome, who’s a good friend of mine and obviously a Trojan. But Wendy’s is, listen, Wendy’s the official hamburger of college football. And to be a part of that and to be a part of really the excitement of the kickoff this week. College football starts up this week is really cool.”
Leinart also praised Williams for his work on the Wendy’s commercial. “I think because he’s done so many great things with NIL and just the partnerships that he’s done, but kind of just what I said with Wendy’s and Wendy’s being a part of college football and then having Caleb, who is the best player in college football, but also a Trojan and also someone that I’ve gotten to know over the last year and a half,” Leinart stated. “It was a lot of fun to work with him. He did a great job and I’m excited for him this season.”
