Kalen DeBoer explains limited usage of Ryan Williams after promising showing in first half

Alabama’s Ryan Williams came into the SEC Championship game fresh off a weird Iron Bowl performance as he did not receive a target in the game and was kept on the sideline for most of it.

The question coming into the rematch with Georgia is if Williams was going to have an explosive day against a Georgia team that he’s historically great against.

Things looked promising for Williams in the first quarter as he turned a bubble screen into a 20-yard gain by hitting a few Bulldogs with a couple of his signature Michael Jackson-like moves to break free. Later on in the second quarter, William picked up a gain of 13 yards by doing the same thing.

However, it appeared as if the staff kept him off the field more than usual, and when he would come back into the game, Alabama did not make an effort to get him the football in space like they did earlier.

“Yeah, we were intentional in trying to get him the ball, and we got four guys that are really working in the rotation,” DeBoer said. “Someone’s going to be out, and if we go two tight ends, which we still like to do, there might be two guys out. Ryan came out and had a great week of practice. He’s one of the guys that is pretty healthy. We were intentional. He made some plays like you said, and there’s more to be had out there the next time he gets a chance.”

Williams was targeted five times in the SEC Championship game, two in the first half and three in the second. However, he went the entire third quarter without a target.

Even though Williams created a few explosive plays in the first half, he was not involved in the offense as the game progressed. He was thrown a jump ball in the end zone in the fourth quarter, but the ball bounced off his chest and onto the ground. There were two other plays that Ty Simpson failed to connect with Williams, and there was even a play that Williams got wide open down the middle of the field in the second half, but he was not thrown the football.

Many are saying Williams is in a “sophomore slump”, but he looked like the 17-year-old version of himself at times early in the game. There was an opportunity for Williams to bounce back today. Sure, he dropped a potential touchdown pass, but he was one of the only bright spots for Alabama’s offense in a dreadful first half.

DeBoer made sure to say that the coaching staff was intentional on trying to get him the ball and managing how many snaps he was on the field, but the concerns surrounding Williams and his future at Alabama will only multiply if this kind of game happens again if the Crimson Tide make the College Football Playoffs.