No. 9 Alabama had a disastrous start to its 2025 season, the second year under head coach Kalen DeBoer, falling to unranked Florida State 31-17 on the road in Tallahassee. To make matters worse, the Crimson Tide lost its biggest star, sophomore wide receiver Ryan Williams.
With Alabama trailing in the fourth quarter, Williams was unable to hang onto a pass over the middle from quarterback Ty Simpson, and as he fell to the ground, he found himself on the receiving end of a helmet-to-helmet hit from FSU defensive back Earl Little Jr. A flag was thrown for targeting, which would have given the Crimson Tide a first down and kept Alabama’s hopes alive, but the call was not upheld after a review.
Williams was in obvious discomfort after the hit and had to be helped off the field. He was unable to return to the game, and his status will likely be up in the air for Alabama’s Week 2 home opener against Louisiana-Monroe next Saturday night.
Ryan Williams injury update:
Kalen DeBoer confirmed in his postgame press conference that Williams suffered a concussion on the hit.
Kalen DeBoer said Ryan Williams suffered a concussion vs. FSU.
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) August 30, 2025
Alabama can’t afford to lose Ryan Williams to stay in CFP race
Williams struggled in his first game with redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson, turning five receptions into just 30 yards, with multiple drops on his stat sheet. Still, he’s too important to the Alabama offense for the Tide to get by without him for an extended period, especially after Saturday’s performance in Tallahassee.
Simpson underwhelmed in his debut, completing 23 of his 43 attempts for 254 yards and two touchdowns, but he was pressured much of the game, and Alabama was unable to run the ball consistently. There was some hope that with Ryan Grubb arriving to take over the Alabama offense and the Tide returning to a more conventional rushing attack after losing Jalen Milroe to the NFL, the ground game would be more effective, but that was not the case.
Part of the reason that Alabama struggled to move the ball on the ground in Week 1 was all the injuries that the Tide had already amassed throughout fall camp. Alabama began the game without starting running back Jam Miller and missing right guard Jaeden Roberts.
Miller was the Tide’s leading running back last season, and with him out, Alabama was without its top three rushers from 2024: Milroe, Miller, and Justice Haynes, who transferred to Michigan this offseason. Kevin Riley led Alabama in rushing yards on Saturday with 31 on five attempts, and the entire offense finished with 74 yards on 29 carries (2.6 yards per attempt).
If Grubb’s offense cannot run the ball, even more responsibility will fall on the passing game, and it will be tough for Simpson to deliver if his most dynamic receiver is sidelined.
With Williams leaving the game, five key Alabama starters will almost certainly be on the injury report for Week 2:
- Ryan Williams
- Jaeden Roberts
- Jam Miller
- Tim Keenan III
- Jah-Marien Latham
Kalen DeBoer has plenty of issues to sort out in Tuscaloosa right now, but keeping his team healthy is near the top of the list.