Alabama star Ryan Coleman-Williams was explosive in the Crimson Tide 's season-opening win against East Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 5, but a few problems persisted for the third-year receiver.
The former five-star recruit looked like Alabama 's top weapon, as expected, with five catches for 130 yards and a 9-yard rush in the 48-10 win. He miscues took his performance from great to good, though, with a pair of drops and a fumble against the Pirates.
Coleman-Williams dropped a would-be chunk play in the first quarter on a wide-open throw from new quarterback Keelon Russell, who completed 17-of-29 passes for 249 yards with two total touchdowns on the afternoon. He then dropped a touchdown on a free play that was ultimately called back due to an offside penalty later in the quarter.
Coleman-Williams was also credited with a fumble on an end around handoff in the third quarter, and he blamed himself after the game in what looked like miscommunication between he and Russell.
"Obviously, as a whole, we felt like we left some things out there, including myself," Coleman-Williams said after the game. "Just watching it on the sideline, not going to blame it on Week 1 but we definitely have to focus in this upcoming week with an SEC opponent on limiting mistakes and just being consistent on first and second down."
That said, Alabama's leading receiver from 2024 as a 17-year-old true freshman still made plays that show why he's one of the most-talented offensive weapons in college football. He made a 58-yard catch early in the second quarter, as he was wide open in the middle of the field before avoiding multiple defenders and doing what he does best in the open field.
His best grab of the afternoon came late in the first half, when Russell dropped in a pass between two defenders and Coleman-Williams hung on despite getting rung by a defensive back crashing down.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer isn't worried about Coleman-Williams despite the up-and-down performance.
"He went out there and made some contested catches, too," DeBoer said. "We're going to keep feeding him. He's a relentless worker and he's going to keep getting the ball."
Coleman-Williams burst onto the scene in 2024 with 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns as a 17-year-old true freshman, but his production dropped last season after leading the SEC and ranking third nationally with 10 drops on the year. His target rate also dropped behind 2026 NFL Draft second-round pick Germie Bernard, while he also battled injuries.
Though Coleman-Williams' miscues didn't ultimately have any effect on the outcome of Alabama's big win in Week 1, if the problems persist, there'll be less room for error once Alabama reaches SEC play. After a sophomore slump following a breakout true freshman season, the talented junior is aiming to bounce back this season as he leads the Crimson Tide's receiving corps.
Coleman-Williams not only changed his last name and jersey number this offseason, but he also ditched football gloves. He told reporters he played without gloves a few times as a freshman, and downplayed his equipped decision.
"Nothing," he told reporters of what went into the change. "Just playing football. With gloves or without gloves, it doesn't really matter. It's just playing football."
It's quite rare for a receiver to wear no gloves, outside of when it's raining.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ryan Coleman-Williams stands out, but drop issues persist for Alabama star
