Ryan Coleman-Williams continues to struggle with drops in Alabama season opener
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College football‘s Week 1 has kicked off, and college football Saturdays are back in full swing. The Alabama Crimson Tide hosted the East Carolina Pirates to kick off their season at home.
Alabama, led by quarterback Keelon Russell, got off to a commanding 17-0 lead to start the second quarter. However, there was a concerning development observed early that has continued from last season: its star wide receiver has a case of the drops once again.
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Alabama star wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams undoubtedly has the big-play ability to keep defensive coordinators up at night. However, through less than 16 minutes of game action, Coleman-Williams had two bad drops.
One came on a wide-open play downfield in the first quarter. The other came in the red zone on fourth-and-3 and would have resulted in a touchdown. East Carolina jumped offsides, though, so the drop ultimately did not matter.
Alabama needs consistency from Coleman-Williams
There’s a reason head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first piece of business upon taking the job two years ago was to get Coleman-Williams to stay at Alabama. He is arguably one of the most talented receivers in college football when he has the ball in his hands.
We saw it during his freshman season against Georgia, when he took over the game and helped Alabama secure a dramatic victory. However, his sophomore season was a step backward. Coleman-Williams finished 2025 with 49 receptions for 689 yards and four touchdowns, while his drop issues became a significant concern. He also led the FBS in drops and drop rate.
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Coleman-Williams spent the offseason working to correct the issue, including extra work on the JUGS machine. He also entered 2026 without wearing gloves, a change he hopes will help him regain confidence in his hands.
Alabama can get away with a few drops against an opponent like East Carolina. When the SEC grind begins, though, the Crimson Tide need Coleman-Williams firing on all cylinders.
After two seasons, Coleman-Williams has 97 career receptions for 1,554 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. If Alabama wants to make a serious College Football Playoff run, it needs the explosive version of Coleman-Williams, not the one who continues to leave big plays on the field.
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