Barely out of high school - but before transferring to the University of Southern California and accepting one of college football’s highest honors, Gonzaga College High School graduate Caleb Williams found himself back on his old turf on “Eye” Street in Washington, D.C. - this time on the sidelines.
Williams, then the quarterback at the University of Oklahoma returned to his home field in November 2021 to energize his former team against their cross-town rivals, the St. John’s College High School Cadets. Williams also visited members of the classes of 1970 and 1971, who had gathered to celebrate their 50th reunions, the 100th anniversary of the rivalry game, and Gonzaga’s 200th anniversary. That evening the buzz around Williams’ visit threatened to transcend the many traditions around the annual game — one of the oldest high school rivalries in the country.
A little over a year later, Williams recounted his experience at Gonzaga on the national stage as he accepted the 2022 Heisman Trophy. “Thank you to my brotherhood at Gonzaga College High School,” said Williams, who had noted earlier, “while this may be an individual award, I certainly understand that nothing and absolutely nothing in this sport or life is done alone.”
Williams, a member of Gonzaga’ class of 2021, was not the only alumnus of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference to receive one of college football’s highest honors this season. Olusegun “Olu” Oluwatimi, a member of the class of 2017 at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, picked up both the 2022 Outland Trophy and the Remington Trophy for the country’s best interior lineman and the nation’s best center respectively.
A graduate student at the University of Michigan, Oluwatimi originally spent one year at the U.S. Air Force Academy where he did not play, and later earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, where he was selected to the All-ACC team as an offensive lineman. After graduating, Oluwatimi transferred to Michigan in 2022 where he started all 14 games for Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines, who finished the season ranked no. 3 in the nation.
During a press conference following Michigan’s defeat of Illinois on Nov. 19 Harbaugh praised Oluwatimi’s grit under pressure. The coach noted Oluwatimi’s challenging week after hearing of the shooting deaths of players from his former college team at Virginia.
“He has the strength of 10 men,” Harbaugh said. “I have so much admiration for him, and I will forever be proud to be his friend. The week he had this week, not only the physical strength of 10 men, but the mental strength of 10 men. The victims at Virginia, that tragedy was personal for him. Those were some of his teammates. And his dad had successful surgery to remove a tumor in his brain. All that was going on for Olu this week. I think back to being that age and there’s no way I could’ve handled that.”
Wendy Norris, an athletic trainer at DeMatha, recalled meeting Oluwatimi when he transferred there the summer before his sophomore year. At the time Oluwatimi was recovering from a knee injury requiring surgery to repair torn cartilage and would meet with Norris three days a week for rehab.
“He really wanted to return, doing everything he could” to get back on the field, Norris said describing Oluwatimi as a dedicated athlete and student with a mature work ethic. Both he and his older brother were bright students who worked hard “in the classroom and on the field,” Norris said. According to the trainer, Olu eventually made it back, contributing to the Stags performance by the end of that season. “The whole family was close knit and really supportive. Oluwatimi has a really good sense of humor — everybody liked him, he was a funny guy,” she added.
Oluwatimi, the first Outland Trophy recipient from Michigan, traveled to Omaha, Nebraska to receive the award during a Jan. 11 ceremony. Trev Alberts, the director of athletics at the University of Nebraska, congratulated Oluwatimi noting “it was a well-deserved honor for an outstanding football player and great person.” Alberts said that he “really enjoyed watching him play - except for that one game that wasn’t much fun,” referring to Michigan’s 34-3 drubbing of Nebraska on Nov. 12.
Earlier in the week channel 6 News WOWT in Omaha interviewed Oluwatimi describing the football player as “humble” yet “eager” to make future plans for the NFL Draft.
For his part Oluwatimi said he hoped his accomplishments on the field demonstrated the skills needed for a professional career and to have faith. “You just continue to be you, put your head down and hope for the best, and pray - and everything always works out for the best,” Oluwatimi said.
During his Heisman acceptance speech, Williams also had advice for young people interested in a future playing college football. He described being passed over in youth leagues because coaches thought Williams was too small. Instead the quarterback said, “Go out there and show them how big your heart is. Just keep believing and keep pursuing your goals,” Williams added. “To the seventh grader who was passed over on the team like I was — use that adversity to ignite your passion like I did. To the ninth grader out there who no one believes can make varsity - you can if you believe.”
During high school Williams believed so much in his personal goals he helped lead the Gonzaga Eagles to a dramatic come from behind victory during the 2018 WCAC championship involving a heroic last-minute pass to the end zone. Only a sophomore at the time, Williams recalled the game at the trophy presentation. Speaking to his younger self, he said: “For the 10th grader losing in the championship game, but having belief that we were going to come back and win. Down 20 in the first half, always believe that there is one more Hail Mary up your sleeve.”
Earlier in his brief remarks Williams called on his former Gonzaga coach, Randy Trivers to be recognized. “You had the courage to start a ninth grader in the toughest high school conference in the country,” Williams said. “The Gonzaga experience both on and off the field helped to prepare me in more ways than you can imagine.”
Williams credited his coach and Gonzaga’s philosophy for his own ability to give back.“The Gonzaga mantra that you drilled into us, ‘men for others’ has helped inspire me to create the Caleb Cares Foundation which is all about giving back, so thank you coach, thank you Gonzaga,” he said.
