Notre Dame football: Should the Irish target QB Caleb Williams?

Star QB Caleb Williams is entering the transfer portal, begging the question, Should the Notre Dame football program be interested?

Caleb Williams, who 247 Sports ranked as a 5-star and the second overall quarterback in the 2021 Class, is transferring out of Oklahoma, making him a sought-after transfer for any school, including possibly the Notre Dame football program.

This comes after he took over as the starter from Spencer Rattler, who has now also transferred out of Oklahoma. The move comes on the heels of numerous star quarterbacks transferring, but few have had the blend of on-field success and potential that Williams has.

Should Notre Dame football target Williams?

So, it’s worth asking yourself, “Should Notre Dame target Caleb Williams in the transfer portal?” The short answer is, in all likelihood, “No.”

Remember, the Irish already have Tyler Buchner on their roster. He is also a quarterback in the 2021 class, who the program has banked on being the future of the team. He’s an athletic quarterback who can help find balance in the running game. He’s also got tons of potential as a passer, which should develop in the next offseason.

If you go after Caleb Williams, and bring him in, then Buchner will likely feel unwanted and move on. Even if you don’t land Williams, Buchner could feel like you don’t want him anymore. Then, he could be on the move in the portal now too. Remember, while the transfer portal is a great tool to take advantage of, it can also bite the program right back. So, you need to be careful with how you manage your program.

Besides, it’s not like Williams is that much better than Buchner, who was 11th in the same class Williams was 2nd. That’s well within the margin for error in recruiting.

The general expectation is going to be that Williams follows Lincoln Riley to USC. However, that’s far from a done deal. He might want to go somewhere like Virginia Tech or North Carolina and be closer to home. He might see an opportunity at a new school entirely.

No matter what, though, the new staff’s energy can be used more effectively. Fill the gaps at wide receiver and in the secondary through the transfer portal, instead.