USC QB Caleb Williams Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

USC QB Caleb Williams ducks media after loss to UCLA

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 11/18/23

Caleb Williams pulled an interesting move on Saturday after his USC Trojans lost 38-20 at home to rival UCLA.

Williams went 31-42 for 384 yards, one touchdown and one interception in USC’s latest loss. The defeat made the Trojans 7-5, which is an unfathomable record for a team that began the season 6-0.

The game may have marked Williams’ last time playing for USC, which has completed its regular season and will likely receive an invitation to a lower-tier bowl game.

Williams declined to speak with the media after the loss to UCLA.

Caleb Williams has “elected not to speak to the media” after the loss to UCLA, a USC spokesperson said.

— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) November 19, 2023

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner may have wanted to avoid questions about his future. He is a junior and widely expected to leave college for the NFL Draft, where he is expected to be a top pick. But Williams may have also wanted to avoid questions about how poorly USC ended the regular season. They went 1-5 over their last six games.

This is the third time in recent weeks that Williams’ actions after a loss have drawn attention. He was called out for not shaking hands following the team's loss to Utah. Then he sobbed in his mom’s arms after the Trojans fell to Washington. And on Saturday he didn’t want to speak with the media following USC's loss to UCLA.

Fulfilling media obligations will be a requirement in the NFL, not an option.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: