What Ryan Williams is doing to cut down on drops

Alabama’s JUGS machines have been put to use more frequently in recent weeks. And if the Crimson Tide’s tennis and rugby programs are missing a few balls, they might want to stop by the football facility. 

These days, Ryan Williams is trying just about everything to cure his recent run of drops. 

Williams led Alabama with six receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown during the Tide’s 30-14 win over Vanderbilt this past weekend. However, the performance didn’t come without a blemish, as the star receiver failed to haul in Ty Simpson’s third-and-4 pass at the Vanderbilt 8-yard line with 4:11 to play in the game.

That drop gives Williams six on the season, as he’s recorded at least one in all four of his games. Dating back to last year, the sophomore receiver has recorded a drop in nine of his last 11 games. That includes three in this season’s opener at Florida State. 

Last week, Kalen DeBoer expressed his confidence in Williams, stating the star receiver “knows he’s just got to keep progressing, keep developing, keep working.” Tuesday, Williams described his approach to eliminate the recent problem moving forward. 

“Really just continuing to stay on the JUGS machine, continuing to do the extra stuff,” Williams said. “Catching rugby balls, catching tennis balls. Just focusing in on the ball and not the next move. Trying to be the receiver I want to be, I’ve got to catch the ball before I can do all that extra stuff.” 

According to Williams, the recent drops are “1,000%” a mental issue. His numbers back that up, as he ranks second on the team with 21 receptions for 336 yards and three touchdowns despite missing a game while dealing with a concussion. 

Wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard has told Williams to focus on “catching the fat of the ball” and “focusing in on the ball.” However, when it comes down to it, Williams said correcting the problem isn’t a complicated process.

“It’s a child’s game, so it’s really simple,” Williams said. “Really just literally looking the ball [in] all the way to the tuck. That’s pretty much all I can do.” 

Making plays after the catch is a big part of Williams’ game. The 6-foot, 178-pound playmaker leads Alabama with 397 yards after the catch, 116 more than Germie Bernard, who ranks second on the team. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams’ average 8.6 yards after the catch per reception ranks sixth among receivers with at least 20 catches this season. 

Rest assured, Williams has no plans of sacrificing his playmaking ability. Fixing the drops problem just requires a shift in priority. 

“Really just trying to do what’s best for the team,” Williams said. “Every ball that goes in the air, of course, I’m going to try to make that play for my quarterback, for my teammates. So really just focusing on being in the moment and just trying to focus on the ball instead of what my next move is.” 

No. 8 Alabama (4-1, 2-0) will travel to No. 14 Missouri (5-0, 1-0) for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff on Saturday. The game will be televised on ABC.