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Ryan Williams' offseason work ethic praised by Kalen DeBoer

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Alabama WR Ryan Williams (courtesy UA Athletics)

ATLANTA — Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams lit the college football world on fire last year. The then-17-year-old freshman rose to national stardom early the 2024 season, and now he’s entering a sophomore year with all eyes on him.

But while it would be easy for a player of his caliber to coast on the attention he receives, his head coach says he’s been doing nothing but working during the offseason.

“I’m excited about the way he’s attacked it,” Kalen DeBoer told SEC Radio Network at SEC Media Days on Wednesday. “The month of May, a lot of guys, a lot of our team, that’s the once chance they can go home. He stayed. He stayed in Tuscaloosa. He wants to get stronger, he’s gotten stronger. He wants to be more durable for the long haul, and he played all season long but there’s football injuries and dings that you have for a freshman that wears more on you than when your body is built up from years of training.

“So he’s been pushing hard from a training standpoint. He obviously always continues to work on his skills, he loves the game. He loves being a receiver. He’s just out there competing.”

Williams’ freshman year saw him catch 48 passes for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished the year with freshman All-American and first team All-SEC selections, establishing himself as one of the best wide receivers in the country.

It goes without saying that he’s one of the best pure football players on Alabama’s team, but DeBoer noted how he’s also working to cement himself as one of the team’s leaders as he gets older.

The part that he’s really able to take to the next level, I think, is the leadership piece. And he can do that because it’s supported by action,” DeBoer said. “When he’s breaking down the team and has something to say and is saying it, it’s not hypocritical or anything like that. He’s actually living it himself. Physically, he’s bigger, he’ll continue to get faster. He’s got good consistency, just making every easy catch all the time. He’s got a high ceiling, he comes down with the crazy ones as well, as we saw.”

That high ceiling was made apparent in a number of games last year, most notably his 6-catch, 177-yard, 1-touchdown performance against Georgia in September. As he continues to improve both physically and mentally, performances of that magnitude could come around even more often.

“He’s definitely a pro. He’s wise beyond his years,” defensive lineman Tim Keenan said. “I appreciate how he carries himself. His name may be Hollywood, but he’s far from it. He’s very humble. I love the kid. I love his work ethic. I love that he just — at the end of the day he 18 now, 18-year-old kid, whatever. Kudos to him for doing what he need to do.”

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