Nick Saban explains Jameson Williams' impact on Alabama wide receivers

Nick Saban on Monday addressed the media to break down No. 1 Alabama’s dominant performance over the No. 14 Miami Hurricanes, a game the Crimson Tide won 44-13. There he explained why — through just one week — transfer wide receiver Jameson Williams is making such a significant impact on the Crimson Tide offense.

Williams on Saturday needed just four receptions to pace all Crimson Tide wideouts; he reeled in four catches from quarterback Bryce Young, making his first-ever collegiate start, and took it for 126 yards and a touchdown. Williams’ touchdown was perhaps the biggest play of the game for the Crimson Tide, as Young found him down the field in stride and connected for a 94-yard touchdown.

According to Saban, Williams’ unique skillset is able to provide more opportunities for the wide receivers surrounding him.

“I think that having the right combination of guys at receiver is really important,” Saban said Monday, when asked of Williams’ production. “I do think [Williams] complements the other players that we have because he has great vertical speed and the things that he does well sort of complements the other things that some of the other guys do well like John Metchie and some of the other receivers — Slade [Bolden], JoJo [Earle] and the other guys that we have.”

While Young was making his first-career start at quarterback on Saturday, Williams was making his first-career start for Alabama. Williams transferred from Ohio State in 2020, where he previously spent two seasons. In 2019 and 2020, Williams played in 22 games, starting six, and racking up 15 receptions for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Perhaps the biggest game of his career came when the Buckeyes’ needed it most, as Williams caught three passes for 62 yards and a 45-yard touchdown reception in Ohio State’s 49-28 win over Clemson in the Sugar Bowl.

“We’re anxious to have all those [wide receivers] continue to develop,” Saban said. “I think that as we grow and learn as an offensive team, maybe we can feature those guys and the things that they do even more so than we did in the first week.”

Williams, a 6-foot-2, 189-pound wideout was a four-star prospect by most sites as a prep star in St. Louis, Missouri. As a senior at Cardinal Ritter College Prep, he caught 68 passes for 1,626 yards and 22 touchdowns and helped his alma mater reach the Class 3 state championship game. Also a letterman in track and field — winning two state titles — Williams translates his speed to the gridiron.