Ryan Williams shares how Alabama players have handled Kalen DeBoer rumors

Second-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has once again had his name connected with an open head coaching opportunity in the Big Ten, this time it’s the recently-created opening at Michigan. The now-former Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore was fired for cause Wednesday after an internal investigation uncovered the second-year coach allegedly engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

A South Dakota native with previous Big Ten experience as an assistant at Indiana, as well as Eastern Michigan, the 51-year-old DeBoer is believed to be among the early favorites in Ann Arbor. On3’s Pete Nakos included him in his initial Hot Board, while other college football pundits such as ESPN’s Paul Finebaum have made the connection as well. DeBoer previously dismissed “any interest either way” when his name was mentioned in connection with the since-filled opening at Penn State before the Nov. 5 hiring of Iowa State‘s Matt Campbell.

Of course, none of that matters to Alabama star receiver Ryan Williams, who acknowledged seeing the speculation about his head coach, but made it clear it’s not impacted the team or DeBoer in any way.

“Of course we see it on TV, but he’s gave us his best effort here and we’re focused on playing against Oklahoma, (so) we’re not really worried about it,” Williams told reporters Friday, according video taken by the Tuscaloosa News‘ Colin Gay. “At the end of the day, he serves us 100-percent and that’s our coach, so we’re going to play for him. External noise is external noise, so we’re just focused on the internal.”

Williams also indicated DeBoer hasn’t even acknowledged other potential coaching opportunities.

“He hasn’t really said much (about other jobs),” WIlliams added, “but that’s kind of our motto: just focus on what’s going on internal because we’ve got to play for each other and all we’re worried about is the people internal.”

DeBoer and Williams are squarely focused on Alabama’s upcoming first-round College Football Playoff game against No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2) on Dec. 19 in Norman (8 pm ET, ABC/ESPN).

Cole Cubelic tabs Ryan Williams as the biggest key for Alabama run in College Football Playoff

ESPN’s Cole Cubelic has identified wide receiver Ryan Williams as a difference maker for Alabama. The Crimson Tide’s star sophomore thrived early against No. 3 Georgia in the SEC Championship game before the offense faded in the second half. Cubelic thinks if the Tide is going to do anything in this year’s Playoffs, Alaama’s No. 2 needs to be a factor.

“I think the biggest thing they have to have, Josh,” Cubelic began on Josh Pate’s College Football Show. “If we’re talking about Bama, making a run to the national title game, you better have first-half-of-the-SEC-Championship-Game Ryan Williams.  Because let’s be real. That makes them very different. Out of all the things that they’ve done, been, not been, complaints that they’ve had this season, guys that have played great, guys that have fallen off, guys that have been injured, in and out of the lineup — if they have that Ryan Williams.”

— On3’s Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.