“Win a national championship.” What else could be Alabama’s standard? That’s Ryan Williams’ 2025 goals. Straight at college football’s ultimate prize even as cameras, video game covers, a Nike deal, and preseason All-American buzz swirl around him. “I don’t feel like I have anything to prove,” the 18-year-old elite WR said. “I’m just going into the season trying to do what’s best for the team. I feel like whatever I do in that instance is best for us in the long haul.” And yes, he’s stronger, sharper, and ready for Year 2. But every star needs a partner to make the magic happen and he isn’t flying alone in Kalen DeBoer‘s offense. 

Kalen DeBoer has solid confidence in Germie Bernard, whom he calls special in an August 26 episode on Alabama Crimson Tide. “This guy, he’s special to me in a lot of ways. And I actually recruited him out of high school when I was going to Washington,” he said. “He ended up going to Michigan State for a year there and coming back to us. And now following down here and I guess just that trust right there really two times want to come with me at Washington but then to come and do it again here at Alabama. You know that’s special to me.” Yeah, this magnetic HC didn’t just lure QB Austin Mack to Tuscaloosa from Washington. That shows how great of a coach you are that players want to follow you everywhere. 

Germie Bernard, born December 2, 2003, has quietly become the Crimson Tide’s secret weapon. After stops at Michigan State in 2022, he answered Kalen DeBoer’s call and transferred to Washington in 2023. A season later, he arrived in Tuscaloosa with his HC in January 2024 and immediately stepped into a starting role. Off the field, he is disciplined to the extreme. Morning Bible study, daily prayer, and a handmade posterboard calendar with a different scripture for every day of camp. “It helps me be consistent,” the WR told AL.com. “I feel like when you’re rooted in Christ, you don’t get too high or too low.”

On the field, Germie Bernard leads by example. He topped Alabama in 2024 with 50 catches for 794 yards and two touchdowns, plus four rushes for 37 yards and a score. His drop rate is just 3.8%, compared to Ryan Williams’ 12.7%. And his teammates notice. “Germie Bernard is one of those guys you want on your offense. Very unselfish,” DL Tim Keenan III said. “But when he gets that b–l, he’s going to make something with it. He’s definitely a playmaker.” That excellence doesn’t happen by accident.

Germie Bernard’s relentless work ethic

Germie Bernard isn’t flashy, but he’s relentless. Every week, he puts in hours most players can’t imagine. Three to four times a week, he fires footballs off the JUGS machine with 200-plus catches each session, broken into segments with different levels of difficulty. Route stems, catching on the move, contested balls, he attacks them all. “It’s all about focus,” he said. “If you can focus, catching the ball is really, really easy.” Beyond mechanics, the wideout studies defenses, watches film, and works hand-in-hand with QBs, ensuring that when the football is snapped, he’s two steps ahead.

All that preparation translates into leadership. Germie Bernard isn’t loud for the sake of it. He leads by example, holding teammates accountable in practice and in the locker room. He works alongside Ryan Williams, mentoring the sophomore when needed, but also letting the young star shine. “I love it for Ryan,” he said. “For him to come in and have an impact at such a young age, nobody is really doing that. I am very, very happy for him and I’m supporting him every step of the way.”

The combination of Ryan Williams’ explosiveness and Germie Bernard’s consistency makes Alabama’s offense more than the sum of its parts. When No. 8 Alabama faces Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday, the nation will see why chemistry matters.