It’s like a kid losing their favorite candy—only this isn’t about sweets. When Alabama freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams first committed to the Crimson Tide, he imagined playing under the legendary Nick Saban. It was a fairytale for the freshman. But in a twist few fans saw coming, Saban announced his retirement soon after, throwing Williams’ entire recruitment process into chaos. Lost the director on the opening night—Williams was left rethinking his future as he grappled with his next steps. Worried, Williams ran to a guru.

But who is this masked identity that the 6′ 0″, 175 pounds, Mobile native thinks so highly of? He shared on the All Facts No Brakes podcast his thoughts after Saban left him on read. “It shattered my whole recruiting process,” revealed how the shock news had him second-guessing everything he’d planned. The good news came right after Ryan Wiliams started entertaining the idea of leaving. The Crimson Tide #2 found a key figure who steadied the new ship head coach, Kalen DeBoer.

But he didn’t know the guy, so what made him trust his future to a stranger? Enter the secret influence, Saraland Spartan’s head coach Jeff Kelly. Williams’ high school mentor’s dialogue and a few other reasons consoled the heartbroken 17-year-old wideout sensation. “My high school coach knew coach DeBoer a little bit, and he was like, just give him a chance,” Ryan revealed on the show. The connection was more than just a nod from his high school coach. Under Kelly, he had 72 receptions for 1,324 yards with 19 touchdowns as a junior in 2023. After speaking to Bama’s new man in charge and the way he tailored his offense to suit a receiver’s strengths, Williams took a leap of faith, explaining, “I was like we good; the offense fit perfectly for a receiver, so I was just like it ain’t no reason for me to leave.”

Furthermore, what locked him in Tuscaloosa? His teammate, Jaylen Mbakwe. Mbakwe and Williams had grown close, and the thought of leaving his “dawg” behind didn’t sit well. As Williams put it, “My dawg (Jaylen) you know he was there, so I was like, no, I can’t leave my dawg alone there.” Good decision indeed! Imagine where Alabama would be without these prodigal stars.

In the present, DeBoer and Company enter week 12 as No. 10 and 7-2. And Jeff Kelly’s boy averages 19.8 yards per game and has 7 tuddys so far. The freshman has already racked up 731 yards this season with 37 catches. But what does Saban’s successor think of his recruit?

Did Kalen DeBoer actually want Ryan Williams on his roster?

Saban’s intimidating Darth Vader vibes were shaken up after his retirement and DeBoer’s hiring. It felt like 100 things were going on at once. Fresh from the oven was almost missing out on CFP before the LSU win. He built his own roster but admitted Ryan Williams was not too far behind. “He was a priority right off the bat,” DeBoer said. A five-star prospect, DeBoer will be thankful that Williams is wearing crimson, considering the mix of things happening BTS after Nick Saban’s retirement.

Right after arriving, the Bama coach was under pressure. They faced fierce pull from Auburn for him. So, his staff left what they were doing and got on the road to Saraland and went to see Williams. Plus, now, under DeBoer, Alabama hasn’t skipped a beat; the offense is thriving, and Williams sees plenty of opportunity to showcase his skills on a national stage. Roll Tide! In the end, it’s a win-win situation for DeBoer and Williams.