What Julio Jones said to Ryan Williams before win over LSU

Alabama’s past and future collided for a brief second on the sideline over the weekend. Minutes before the Crimson Tide’s 20-9 victory over LSU inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, former Alabama standout Julio Jones shared a brief moment with current star receiver Ryan Williams. 

The conversation wasn’t in-depth. 

“A little something,” Williams explained following Tuesday’s practice,” You know, just talking a couple basic things just to help out in routes and when the ball’s in the air.”

It was still pretty cool for the sophomore from Saraland, Alabama, who grew up idolizing Jones with the Tide and in the NFL. 

“One thousand percent,” Williams said when asked if running into former stars was one of the best perks of playing at Alabama. “Just bump into you, give you a couple tips before you run out onto the field. Then it just so happens you make a catch. It’s like, ‘He just told me that that.’”

Saturday wasn’t the first time Jones and Williams spoke. The two also shared a conversation last year, as well as a couple more during Williams’ ascension as a five-star recruit out of Saraland High School. 

As for the best advice the future Hall of Famer provided? 

“Just being physical at the catch point,” Williams said, “and don’t let people touch you.”

Whatever Jones said Saturday must have sunk in with Williams during the final minute of the first half when the sophomore rose above two defenders to pull in a 13-yard touchdown to put Alabama up 17-3. Those are the type of plays Williams remembers Jones making during his three years at Alabama and 13 seasons in the NFL. 

“Definitely his physicality and his mentality on each individual play,” Williams said when asked about the traits he admired in Jones. “He plays like it’s his last play, every play. You can definitely tell he loves football. Like just continuing to have that attitude of gratitude day in and day out.”

Jones joined Alabama as part of Nick Saban’s program-changing 2008 recruiting class. The Foley, Alabama native went on to win SEC Freshman of the Year before helping the Tide to the 2009 national title. He was selected sixth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2011 draft before spending 13 seasons in the NFL, where he caught 914 receptions for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns. 

Williams drew comparisons to Jones after signing with Alabama as part of Kalen DeBoer’s first recruiting class in charge of the Tide last year. The Saraland native earned Freshman All-America honors, recording 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. This season, he has 36 catches for 528 yards and four touchdowns. 

“It’s just a blessing to be put in that conversation,” Williams said. “Honestly, it just means a lot because that means all the work that I put in up until this point has paid off to a degree. But I still got to but the work in to have the outcome or a better outcome than he had.”

Jones wasn’t the only former Alabama star to grace the sidelines over the weekend. Former Tide linemen Tyler Booker, J.C. Latham, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Darrian Dalcourt were all on hand to watch the Tide’s win over LSU. When asked on Monday, head coach Kalen DeBoer said he loves it when former players return to campus. 

“This is their program,” DeBoer said. “It’s ours altogether, but they’re the ones that built this and made it what it is, and I love that they want to come back and are proud of what they accomplished and hopefully proud of what we’re doing right now. … You want alumni to always feel like this is home, a place they can come back to and be welcome.” 

No. 4 Alabama will return to Bryant-Denny Stadium this week when it hosts No. 12 Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will be televised on ABC.