Ryan Williams injury update: Kalen DeBoer reveals why Alabama WR appeared on availability report

Alabama star wide receiver Ryan Williams unexpectedly popped up on the Crimson Tide’s injury report earlier this week heading into their matchup against Missouri.

Although Williams was active in the Crimson Tide’s 27-24 win Saturday afternoon, he did not catch one pass. It marked the first game of his career that he played in and did not record a reception. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer discussed what Williams is dealing with following the win.

“Just something carried over from last week’s game,” DeBoer said. It would have been earlier in the game last week. He just took a hit, so he was hobbled and didn’t get to practice this much and that’s why he was on the report.”

“That made it a little bit harder to get him out there, especially when you have the confidence in other guys to go make plays. I haven’t got the report exactly of how he got through when he was out there and helped us, but I’d expect him to keep making progress. He’s not that far away.”

Through six games this season, the Second Team All-American has hauled in 21 catches for 336 yards and three touchdowns.

No. 8 Alabama held off No. 14 Missouri 27-24 on Saturday

The Crimson Tide earned their third consecutive victory over a ranked opponent Saturday afternoon in Columbia. After opening the season with a surprising 31-17 loss to Florida State in Tallahassee, Kalen DeBoer‘s team has now won five consecutive games (three of which have come against No. 5 Georgia, No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 14 Missouri in three straight weeks).

Missouri came out of the gate roaring on its opening drive in the game, as quarterback Beau Pribula hit tight end Brett Norfleet in stride for a 26-yard touchdown to give the Tigers an early 7-0 lead. Alabama however punched right back and knotted the game at seven on a Ty Simpson six-yard touchdown pass to running back Kevin Riley.

With the game tied at seven, Alabama rattled off 10 unanswered points to make it a 17-7 Crimson Tide lead. This didn’t stand for long however, as Missouri kicker Robert Meyerdrilled a 35-yard field goal (that was blocked but still went through the uprights) to make it a 17-10 game. Beau Pribula then found the end zone on a five-yard rushing touchdown out of the break to tie it up once again.

The score held at 17-17 until Alabama kicker Conor Talty capped off a 17-play drive with a 22-yard field goal near the end of the third quarter. The Tide then wrapped up the win thanks to a one-yard passing touchdown from Simpson to running back Daniel Hill with 3:16 remaining in the game.

Missouri scored to cut the deficit to three and actually got the ball back with just over a minute remaining, but Pribula’s second interception effectively ended the game.

Now sitting at 5-1, No. 8 Alabama has an opportunity to win its fourth consecutive ranked game next weekend against No. 12 Tennessee. The Tigers suffered their first loss of the season and will take their 5-1 record to Auburn next Saturday.