Alabama WR Ryan Coleman-Williams just proved how confident he is in his hands after revealing major change ahead of ECU
It was a season to forget when it came to drops for Alabama Crimson Tide star WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, but instead of running from his issues, he’s looking to face them head-on with a major change ahead of Week 1.
The Alabama Crimson Tide return to the field Saturday, and star wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams plans to make a visual statement about his offseason transformation. Williams, who led the FBS in drops and drop rate last season, is ditching his gloves for the 2026 campaign. The move signals supreme confidence from a player who spent the offseason overhauling his approach after a disappointing 2025.
Ryan Coleman-Williams 2025 stats
- 49 receptions
- 689 receiving yards
- 4 touchdowns
Why the gloves are coming off
For those unfamiliar, receiver gloves are designed to be extremely sticky, giving pass catchers a significant grip advantage on the football, particularly in the elements. Most wide receivers, defensive backs, and skill position players rely on them as standard equipment. Coleman-Williams is going in the opposite direction.
Coleman-Williams has gone with one glove or no gloves at various points throughout practice and across his football career. Now he plans to carry that approach into game action. How long the experiment lasts remains to be seen, but the intent behind it speaks volumes.
What this really tells us about Coleman-Williams
The truth is, I don’t think the gloves themselves will make a dramatic difference one way or the other. What the decision does tell me is that Coleman-Williams is in a completely different headspace than he was a year ago.
Last season, Coleman-Williams failed to meet expectations on multiple fronts. His route running and separation were inconsistent, and when he did get open, he simply dropped the football far too much. In my opinion, that wasn’t a hands problem. I believe Coleman-Williams had a case of the yips. He was overthinking catches, dealing with concentration lapses, and turning routine plays into anything but routine.
That distinction matters. A player with genuinely bad hands doesn’t fix the problem by removing his gloves. A player battling mental hurdles, however, might use a move like this to reset his confidence and prove to himself that the issue is behind him.
The bottom line
Between all of the offseason changes Coleman-Williams made to his game and this glove switch, he is clearly entering 2026 in a confident state. Alabama needs him to be. The Crimson Tide’s passing attack goes only as far as its most talented receiver allows, and a version of Williams who trusts his hands could be a different player entirely.
Saturday will be the first real test. The gloves are off, literally, and Coleman-Williams is betting on himself.
