Kalen DeBoer and Jalen Milroe in Hot Water for Endangering 17 YO Ryan Williams’ Career in Disappointing Tennessee Loss

When Kalen DeBoer and his squad entered the game as the 7th-ranked team in the nation and pre-game favorites, no one expected things to take such an ugly turn. But that’s exactly what happened when they faced off against the Tennessee Volunteers, suffering a 24-17 loss — their second defeat of the season. Now, both head coach Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Jalen Milroe are facing backlash, not just for the tough loss, but also for the way their game plan may have impacted a promising young talent.

Throughout the game, Milroe kept targeting Alabama’s 17-year-old freshman wide receiver, Ryan Williams, despite the risk that the pressure could overwhelm someone so young. Milroe’s struggles with accuracy and that unexpected reliance on Williams in such a critical game have raised serious questions about DeBoer’s strategy. Fans, too, were vocal with their frustrations, expressing disappointment in both the coach and quarterback for how things played out. A fan even took a straight shot at them, taking to X, “Milroe only targeted Ryan Williams all game w-f 😂”

Despite the high number of passes aimed his way, Ryan Williams managed to secure 8 receptions for 73 yards and even scored a touchdown. This is pretty impressive, but this also highlighted the big blunders made by Jalen Milroe’ during the entire game.

During Alabama’s game against the Vols, it was evident that Jalen Milroe struggled with his accuracy. He only completed 55.6% of his throws, which was his lowest percentage of the season. It’s not surprising, considering he constantly targeted Ryan Williams with all his passes. In addition to his accuracy issues, Jalen managed to throw for 239 yards, along with a touchdown and two interceptions. Let’s see what fans have to say about his conduct.

Fans taking a shot at Kalen DeBoer and Jalen Milroe

Not only did Alabama lose to Tennessee, but they also put their young wide receiver Ryan Williams’ career at risk. Head coach Kalen DeBoer made no adjustments to stop the constant passes aimed at Ryan, raising eyebrows. Many believe the game could have played out differently if the passes had been spread more evenly between Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard. Instead, the questionable game plan resulted in Alabama’s second terrible loss of the season after their Vandy game, dropping them to 5-2.

Fans are also expressing their frustration, with one saying, “Ryan Williams is now the youngest player to lose to Vanderbilt and Tennessee in the same season.” At a certain point, it almost felt like Milroe was intentionally forcing plays to Williams as if it had been part of his secret plan from the start. Another fan echoed this sentiment, suggesting, “Milroe obviously checked into that and then didn’t tell Ryan Williams the plan.” Unfortunately, the strategy backfired badly.

Well, whatever the reason behind this unexpected move, it was one of the worst decisions taken by Kalen DeBoer and Jalen Milroe, as it cost Bama a big time. It’s not like Ryan is not a good player, but it’s more about the execution that blew up the game. “Milroe, please don’t force the b–l to Ryan Williams,” a fan said. However, this X user highlighted a totally different point of view regarding the whole game, saying, “That was not a screen; the RB spilled early and left Milroe with no time; no lineman dropped to block upfield; they were all in normal pass pro. not on Ryan Williams and not on Deboer’s playcall.”

Well, it looks like the fault is not in Kalen DeBoer’s coaching calls or not in Jalen Milroe or Ryan William’s gameplay, but it’s because of the coordination between them. Fair point, but the question still remains the same: was aiming almost every shot at Ryan Williams necessary? What are your thoughts on Jalen Milroe’s move? Do let us know in the comments!