Kalen DeBoer confirms suspicion about the status of Alabama WR Ryan Coleman-Williams ahead of game against the Tennessee Vols
Kalen DeBoer updated Ryan Coleman-Williams’ status during his weekly press conference, and Alabama could lean on a couple of young receivers in one of the toughest road environments in the SEC.
There is no rest for the weary in the SEC. The Alabama Crimson Tide heads to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium this weekend, and it looks like it will have to do so without star wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said during his weekly press conference that Coleman-Williams is dealing with both a head injury and a lower body injury. Both flared up against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night. DeBoer said Coleman-Williams is not expected to play against the Vols, and he will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis after that.
Ryan Coleman-Williams injury facts
- Dealing with a head injury and a lower body injury.
- Both issues flared up against Georgia on Saturday night.
- Not expected to play against Tennessee, per DeBoer.
- Week to week after the Tennessee game.
The controversial hit against Georgia
The head injury has stirred plenty of controversy. As many Crimson Tide fans know, it happened on a hit where Georgia was not flagged for targeting. In my opinion, the defender clearly lowered the crown of his helmet into Coleman-Williams’ head.
Coleman-Williams did not return to the game after that hit, and now he will miss a road trip to one of the loudest stadiums in the country. For an Alabama fan base that already felt the officiating let it down, that stings even more.
Still, the Tide can’t spend the week dwelling on a missed call. Tennessee isn’t going to wait for anybody to feel sorry for Alabama.
Who steps up for Alabama at wide receiver?
To me, the big takeaway here is who becomes the next man up.
We didn’t see a lot of Noah Rogers against the Bulldogs, and we certainly didn’t see much of Cederian Morgan, either. I expect that to change in a major way in Knoxville.
Derek Meadows got some snaps once Coleman-Williams left the game against Georgia, and Alabama still has Lotzeir Brooks and Rico Scott in the mix. But I believe Morgan and Rogers will take on a much bigger role with Coleman-Williams out against the Vols, and potentially longer depending on how his recovery goes.
Quite frankly, I think both of those players are capable. Rogers and Morgan have the tools to make plays, and the Crimson Tide just needs to put them in position to do it. A game like this, on the road in a hostile SEC environment, is the type of moment that can help a young receiver earn more trust from the coaching staff going forward.
There is no replacing RCW
Now, let’s be clear about something. Nobody is Ryan Coleman-Williams.
There’s no way to spin this into good news for Alabama. Coleman-Williams is undoubtedly the star of the Crimson Tide’s wide receiver corps, and losing him for any stretch of time changes how defenses can approach the Alabama offense. Tennessee no longer has to account for the most dangerous pass catcher on the field, and that alone makes life tougher in Knoxville.
However, depth matters in the SEC, and this is exactly why. Injuries pile up over the course of a season, and the teams that survive conference play are the ones that can plug in the next guy without the whole operation falling apart.
The bottom line is that Alabama has the horses in the stable to get the job done, no matter how long Coleman-Williams is sidelined. Rogers, Morgan, Meadows, Brooks, and Scott give the Tide enough options to keep the offense moving. Now they just have to prove it at Neyland Stadium.
