Kliff Kingsbury making an impact on Caleb Williams and USC's offense

One might say Kliff Kingsbury failed as a head coach in the NFL. A more charitable way to look at his tenure with the Arizona Cardinals, though, would be to say that he gained incredible experience he now brings to USC in his new role as a senior offensive analyst on Lincoln Riley's staff.

That's how Heisman-winning USC quarterback Caleb Williams is looking at it, anyway. Recently speaking with the media (h/t On3), Williams explained how Kingsbury has impacted USC's offense already.

“Kliff coming in, it’s been great, because he’s been in many different positions, whether it’s offensive coordinator in college or head coach in college or head coach in pros and things like that,” Williams said. “So he’s able to give a bunch of different ideas, things that worked in the pros, things that worked in college.”

Kingsbury went 28-37 in four seasons as an NFL head coach. That span was highlighted by an 11-6 record in 2021 and a berth in the playoffs, but the Cardinals were 4-13 last season -- which led to Kingsbury's firing. Kingsbury was also the head coach at Texas Tech from 2013 to 2018, where he posted a 35-40 record (1-2 in bowls).

His record as both a college and pro head coach has been somewhat middling, but Kingsbury is known as an offensive mastermind. He's also helped coach several elite quarterbacks, which is good news for Williams.

"He’s seen it done on our level with many different players that, you see now, they went first pick or they won Heisman. Patrick Mahomes. He’s been with a bunch of different guys like that, Kyler (Murray) when he was in the pros," Williams said.

It should be worth noting that in his role as an analyst, Kingsbury is not allowed to work with players at practice, though he can speak in meetings, film rooms and other areas in order to help the team.