Ryan Williams reveals early doubts about Kalen DeBoer as Alabama begins year two under new regime

Agency_SAM Alabama Crimson Tide - English Kalen DeBoer - English NCAAM - English Nick Saban - English Ryan Williams - English Sports

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Replacing a legend is never easy, especially when that legend is Nick Saban. When Kalen DeBoer took over at Alabama, he stepped into the enormous shoes left by the most successful coach in modern college football history. Understandably, the transition wasn’t seamless.

And now, Ryan Williams, the Crimson Tide’s standout freshman wide receiver, has offered a candid perspective that confirms what many suspected – DeBoer’s arrival came with growing pains.

Williams, one of the brightest stars of Alabama’s future, didn’t shy away from the truth in SEC Network’s documentary All In, which followed the team through spring camp.

“When Coach DeBoer first got here, it was kind of a culture shock,” he admitted. At first glance, that seems like a surprising statement from someone who wasn’t on the roster yet when the new coach was hired.

But Williams clarified: “Just listening to the other guys, some people weren’t bought into Coach DeBoer yet.”

That admission sheds light on the challenges DeBoer faced walking into a program so deeply shaped by Saban’s values and expectations.

Even though DeBoer was fresh off a national championship appearance with Washington, his new players didn’t automatically rally around him.

Year two brings buy-in as DeBoer’s influence reshapes the Tide

Now entering his second year at the helm, DeBoer has had the time to build a roster that reflects his vision. Williams, who reclassified to join Alabama early, is now WR1 and seems more confident in the current direction of the program.

“Now that we’re in year two, basically everyone that’s here [is] bought into Coach DeBoer and the rest of the coaching staff and everything we do,” he said.

That kind of statement signals real progress. Much of the roster turnover from the post-Saban era has settled, and the players who remain-or have arrived via recruitment and the transfer portal-are those who believe in DeBoer’s philosophy. The culture shift appears to be taking hold.

This evolution has also been mirrored in how the coaching staff talks about the players.

During a recent appearance on ESPN’s Always College Football, DeBoer told Greg McElroy that his wide receiver group is “in a better spot” heading into the 2025 season.

Alongside Williams, DeBoer praised Germie Bernard and Isaiah Horton, with the latter joining the team this offseason from Miami.

“Many of them are going and meeting at a location in the month of May [to practice],” DeBoer said. “We’ve cautioned them not to do too much, you know.

“Because the summer is going to be as hard as one they’ve ever been through. But just the ability to get together and them doing it on their own… that desire to do it… that’s what you love to see.”

DeBoer also confirmed that former five-star athlete Jaylen Mbakwe is expected to shift from cornerback to wide receiver, a move that further illustrates how players are embracing the coach’s plans and adapting to fill needs.

Alabama’s standards are sky-high. A 9-win season might be celebrated elsewhere, but not in Tuscaloosa.

DeBoer inherited a team with expectations shaped by dynastic success-and while his first year had its bumps, the buy-in from players like Williams indicates things are settling.

If the new-look Tide can match that cultural unity with on-field execution, DeBoer might just find that those oversized shoes left behind by Saban finally fit after all.

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