Bears coach Matt Eberflus names Caleb Williams the starting quarterback

Fittingly, Williams held a session with reporters on Friday, where he was asked about his official selection as the starter. The beginner is simply taking everything in stride.

“Obviously you have goals that you have set for yourself right now. You also have goals for the future,” Williams said. “So that’s important, but also understanding the moment we’re in and being in that moment is really important. I would say taking it one step at a time, dealing with it the way it should be handled, and being professional is really important. All of those go into one.”

Williams is no stranger to the spotlight, having been a prominent name in college football since he took over at Oklahoma, then followed coach Lincoln Riley from Norman to Los Angeles. He is also well-adapted to the marketing of professional athletes, having emerged in the emerging era of name, image and likeness opportunities in the collegiate ranks.

But he also knows that it is wise to respect your elders. Although he is the face of the future in Chicago, he has not earned anything yet.

“To be a great leader, you have to learn how to follow up first. So, now I follow all the vets, I follow all the coaches,” Williams explained. “I’m listening, my ears are open and my mouth is closed. When I get to the point, when I learn everything, when I learn how we deal with the culture, the playbook, what the offensive line is, the receivers are all you do, the running backs, the tight ends and things like that Then you can start taking the lead, then you can start taking the helm of it all and taking the next steps.

“Right now, I’m listening more than I’m talking and talking, taking it step by step, living in the moment.”

Eberflus will give Williams the keys to the franchise, as expected. Williams makes sure to keep his hands at 10 and two and the car between the drawn lines. He’ll have plenty of time to get rid of it in the fall, anyway.