No freshman wide receiver shook the college football world last season quite like Ryan Williams, outside of Jeremiah Smith. Unfortunately, the football gods had other plans in 2025. Despite a frustrating year, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer believes it’s only a matter of time before Williams breaks through again.

“When it comes to Ryan, he had such a big year last year as a freshman,” DeBoer said at the Rose Bowl press conference. “I know you can always have more, but there’s just been a nonstop level of work that he puts in.”

According to DeBoer, people on the outside are likely criticizing Ryan without truly understanding what’s going on. Williams has been putting in insane hours behind the scenes, and DeBoer insists the results will come. The fruit of that labor is yet to come.

The biggest issue with Ryan Williams has been his hands; he’s currently leading the nation with 13 drops, which is a significant shock for a player of his level of talent. Instead of those circus catches, we’re seeing balls slip right through his fingers, especially on those deep shots that used to be his bread and butter.

That has taken a toll on his production, and it screams in the stat line. This season, he has 43 receptions for 636 yards and four touchdowns. That’s a noticeable drop from last year’s 48 catches, 865 yards, and eight touchdowns.

Some folks call it a classic sophomore slump. Even legends like Julio Jones and Amari Cooper from Alabama had to go through this phase. Defenses are targeting him more. Some analysts believe it’s a confidence issue or perhaps an injury we’re unaware of. Seven of those 13 drops happened on passes of 10 or more yards down the field.

Amid all that, DeBoer believes the breakthrough is coming:

“I know that’s what he’s done the last week and a half,” DeBoer said. “He’s gonna have a game like he’s had at different times, where he goes off. I’m just waiting for that moment because it’s gonna be awesome and I know it’s coming — sooner rather than later.”

It’s way too soon to write him off completely. He still has all the speed and talent that made him a top recruit. Plus, he shut down transfer portal rumours. If he can sort out the mental game and get those hands right, he’s got a great chance to bounce back strong in 2026 and remind everyone of the player they thought they were getting.

Unfortunately, college football doesn’t offer patience.

There’s no grace period for SEC fans. That pressure only increases with the biggest challenge of Williams’ career looming: a playoff matchup against the No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.

The career-defining game for Ryan Williams

As much as fans still believe in Ryan Williams, it’s inevitable that he needs to step up to stay in Alabama’s good graces. Truth be told, that’s easier said than done. The problem for Ryan is that Indiana’s defense is seriously tough. They’re ranked No. 4 nationally in total defense and have an All-American corner in D’Angelo Ponds, who isn’t afraid to go one-on-one.

The Hoosiers’ scheme is all about tight coverage and discipline, so there won’t be many free yards given up.

For Ryan to have the “get-right” game, he needs. He has to win his individual battles and catch every ball thrown his way. The Indiana defense thrives on putting its DBs on an island. Which means if Ryan can consistently beat his man off the line, he could exploit that and turn short passes into significant gains.

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If that happens, it’s hard to imagine safety Louis Moore staying idle.

Moreover, this game is being viewed as a potential redemption arc for Ryan Williams. Regardless of how it goes, Kalen DeBoer has made it clear he still believes in his young wideout.