Alabama’s 37-20 win over Tennessee was solid, no doubt. But the moment that stole the show was when the QB-WR chemistry finally clicked into gear. Ty Simpson showed he can efficiently lead an offense, completing 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Williams, on the other hand, looked rejuvenated after his recent struggles with ball-handling, as he finished the game with 5 catches for 87 yards. And, now, Ty Simpson has revealed the reason behind Williams’ improved showing.

“Ryan’s like the top player in the nation,” Simpson said during the post-game presser. “He gets in his own head sometimes because he has so many expectations for himself on who he thinks he needs to be.” That has been the root cause of Williams’ catching issues. 

The dropping issues started last season after Alabama’s win over the Bulldogs. Williams racked up 177 yards in that game with just 6 catches. But this season saw a major escalation of that problem. Williams had one drop in Bama’s last game against Vandy. That followed a sure touchdown he let slip against Georgia. After that, it was another miss versus Wisconsin, and then two drops in the season opener against the Seminoles.

Ryan isn’t blaming anything physical. He admits it’s “1,000 percent” a mental block. The pressure to perform, combined with high expectations, can make a simple catch feel overwhelming. It makes a simple catch feel overwhelming.

So how did he get over this hump? The dropped catches were just an error of judgment that Williams overcame by catching rugby balls and tennis balls, grinding away on the jugs machine to sharpen his focus. His coach, JaMarcus Shephard, gave him a crucial pointer: “Catch the fat of the ball.”

And the efforts were clearly visible against the Vols. He was Alabama’s most reliable weapon, catching all five of his targets and even adding a 16-yard run, racking up 103 all-purpose yards. With 423 receiving yards through seven games, Williams’ return to form adds a difficult matchup for defenses down the stretch.

The Ryan Williams intervention worked

Ryan Williams has faced a lot of scrutiny this season because of his drop issues. Even former NFL star Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson called out his game against the Missouri Tigers. Sure, Alabama was saved with a borderline 27-24 win. But Ryan Williams’ contribution? Literally zero. But instead of blaming him continuously, Sharpe points out the perks he is getting and the results he is producing.

“That’s a man making $2 million a year. I need consistency,” Sharpe added. “They’re getting paid now. Okay. So, we get to judge them a little more harshly.” Ryan’s big fat, $2M prize tag is not just for hots of it. The institution needs results. Sure, Williams was facing a nagging lower-body injury from the previous week against Vanderbilt, which limited his practice reps and kept him from playing at full strength.

But keeping all that aside, he hasn’t really been consistent this season. Instead, freshman Lotzeir Brooks took the spotlight against Mizzouri. He held four catches for 58 yards and a crucial 29-yard conversion on a late fourth down. Williams is leading the nation with 1.5 drops per game. However, the Tennessee win might have given some clarity to Williams on how to be more consistent.