Ryan Williams' injury might cost Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Kalen DeBoer rare feat in 2025

Kalen DeBoer's injury update of wideout phenom Ryan Williams on Wednesday revealed the first cracks in the rather strong-looking Alabama squad. 

"Unfortunately, at the end of spring ball, he suffered a little bit of a ding," DeBoer revealed.

This "ding" brought the first flush of concern in the Crimson Tide locker room when things were sailing smoothly in their much-hyped QB battle. 

Williams also had "a couple of nicks," as DeBoer revealed to On3 in early April. He missed a few practice sessions in the spring practice.

DeBoer assured the fans that Williams would be "fine and ready to roll here this summer", but that doesn't stop the Tide nation from going straight for the worst-case scenario.

Williams' recovery is crucial for DeBoer's Year 2, given the mind-bending season he had in 2024. As a key part of Alabama's core offense, Williams' potential injury reserve status could cost Alabama big-time. 

247Sports' Brad Crawford ranked Ty Simpson and Williams the fifth-best QB-WR duo in the country in 2025. If Williams' injury turns out to be more than just a "ding," the Crimson Tide will potentially lose this feat and several more like this. 

Williams tops several charts, like The Next Round Live's Jim Dunaway's, as the top WR in the SEC.

"But going back all the way to January, just kind of him understanding — even from last season — where he needed to get better. It’s being stronger. He’s just younger. The body maturing, and then him putting the work in — just being stronger, more durable, those types of things," DeBoer further added about Williams' improvement. 

Williams is still listed as a 6-foot, 175-pounder WR — the measurements taken as a freshman, but he has been "getting bigger" as of 2025, as DeBoer explained.  

A lot hinges on how well Williams recovers.