Kalen DeBoer downplays what has become a major issue regarding Ryan Williams’ usage within the Alabama Crimson Tide offense
Kalen DeBoer still has the utmost confidence in his star WR ahead of the Iron bowl.
The 2025 season has been one to forget for Alabama Crimson Tide WR Ryan Williams. After bursting onto the scene as a true freshman, there has been notable regression in year two. Williams’ inaugural campaign at the Capstone saw him finish the season with 48 catches for 865 yards and eight TDs, averaging over 18 yards per reception.
Well, Alabama’s regular season is over, and Williams’ numbers are worse in every category. He dropped to 40 receptions for 598 yards and four TDs, averaging 14 yards per catch. The only stat that went up? His drops. But if you ask Kalen DeBoer, Williams’ usage in the Iron Bowl and overall season is nothing to worry about.
Kalen DeBoer downplays Ryan Williams’ usage in Iron Bowl
“He was out there,” DeBoer said via the Bama Central YouTube channel. “There’s really nothing to read into there at all. I think there were opportunities where the ball could’ve found him. Plays that, you know, not like they’re designed specifically for him, that’s really not how a lot of our offense is. There may be screens and things like that that are intentionally trying to get touches, but as far as the pass concepts, we didn’t get to him in the route or things like that.
“So, yeah, we’ve got to be intentional because he’s a playmaker for us. The ball did find some other guys, and they made plays, as you saw with Isaiah Horton. We want to continue to be intentional. Ryan does a great job for us each and every week, preparing. There’s no difference this week.”
There’s no doubt that Alabama will need the best of Williams against the Georgia Bulldogs. The boys from the clay haven’t lost a game since Alabama took care of business in between the hedges, and when you have a defensive mastermind like Kirby Smart and time to prepare for a second go-round, he will throw the kitchen sink at Ty Simpson and the Alabama offense.
That’s where someone with the game-breaking tendencies of Williams has to step up. It cannot be decoy routes that have him running on the backside of passing concepts or wasting away as the slot WR. It needs to be a wide-open throttle matchup hunting against a Georgia secondary that is not as formidable as it was in years past.
And it will be on DeBoer and Ryan Grubb to make that happen, and Williams to step up when called upon.
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