LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Caleb Williams has worked with Kliff Kingsbury before.

They were at USC together last season, with Williams as the Trojans star quarterback and Kingsbury as a senior offensive analyst. The pair worked closely together, as Kingsbury helped prepare him for NFL life on his journey to becoming the No. 1 overall draft pick.

There’s at least a possibility off a reunion, with the Bears reportedly interested in interviewing Kingsbury to fill their vacancy at head coach. Kingsbury is currently Washington’s offensive coordinator, working with No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels on a playoff-bound team.

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That success has helped launch Kingsbury back into the NFL head-coach conversation, and the Williams ties make Chicago an obvious connection.

Williams was asked about his desired qualities for a head coach – discipline, a straight shooter and someone who finds ways to win were among them – and then asked directly about Kingsbury has an option.

“I’ve been around Kliff. I know what type of guy he is,” Williams said on Wednesday. “I know he loves football. I know he wants to win. He’s a competitor. … So, I would say that being around him, knowing him, asking him questions and things like that, I think, obviously, if he was here I’d probably have more to say. But I think he fits a bunch of those qualities that I (referred to earlier).”

Kingsbury spoke to reporters in Washington on Thursday and said he would be interested in being a head coach again after struggling to succeed in during his tenure in Arizona. He had a 28-37-1 record with the Cardinals.

The Commanders OC wouldn’t touch a question about whether he would take interviews during this hiring cycle, though.

“I won’t comment on that,” Kingsbury said, via the Washington Post, “but we’ll see how everything plays out but I’m very happy here. This has been an awesome, awesome place and has really helped me kind of rekindle my love for the sport.”

Kingsbury came to the Cardinals from the college ranks and was let go after four seasons. Then he ended up at USC with Williams. He was interviewed for the Bears offensive coordinator position that went to Shane Waldron, and he eventually ended up in a great spot with the Commanders, where he learned more about how he would handle another opportunity to be a head coach.

“I don’t think I set a foundation the way I would do it after watching (Dan Quinn) and how he set the foundation from Day 1,” Kingsbury said. “And it was, ‘These are the standards. This is what we won’t compromise. This is what we’re going to be.’ I definitely could have done a better job with that, and once you don’t lay it out like that, it’s hard to put it back in, it’s hard to kind of reset it.” 

Kingsbury’s a former quarterback and an experienced play caller, a combination that could be attractive to Williams because they understand firsthand the nuances of the position.

“I think it’s helpful,” Williams said. “I mean, but if you’re good at your job, you’re good at your job. It doesn’t matter necessarily if you played quarterback. I think it helps because you’ve been in a multitude of different situations as a player and then being able to see it from a different lens. But if not, no, as long as you’re good at your job, demanding of us and like I said for a bunch of the qualities, I think you fit the job and the description, and you know, just find ways to win games.”