No. 1 Alabama's Milroe-to-Williams connection bedeviling opposing defenses
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) scores on a running play against Georgia during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Credit: AP/Vasha Hunt
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jalen Milroe is a fourth-year junior who waited his turn to start. Ryan Williams is a 17-year-old freshman who has become an instant sensation.
Together they’ve rapidly forged one of the nation’s most electric passing combinations for the now top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Not even No. 5 Georgia could slow them down, much less stop them in the Tide's 41-34 win Saturday night.
“That man’s always making a play on the ball,” Milroe said of Williams. “I just have so much trust in him. When he’s out at receiver, he’s going to do something special with the football.”
They're both doing special things so far this season. Williams and Milroe each blend speed, talent and moves that most running backs would envy. And Milroe has emerged as one of college football's top passers.
Milroe had perhaps his best game — a career-high 374 passing yards and two touchdowns, 117 rushing yards and two TDs — against a team that came in with the nation’s top pass defense and no touchdowns allowed. He became the first player in the AP poll era to reach 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards and run for two touchdowns against a top-5 opponent.
Even his first interception of the season came when the ball was knocked out of a receiver's grasp by a Georgia defender.
Milroe emerged from that game as the Heisman Trophy favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook and won AP’s national player of the week honors for the second time. Next up: A trip to Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) walks on the field after the team won against Georgia in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Credit: AP/Vasha Hunt
Milroe’s eight rushing touchdowns — two in each game — are tied with Navy's Blake Horvath for the most in the country by a quarterback this season.
“Man, he’s a weapon out there,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “And he’s doing it both through the air and with his feet. He’s tough to gameplan against when you’re on the other side.”
Then there's Williams, DeBoer's most prized and needed recruit. He caught six catches for 177 yards and a touchdown against Georgia. He made a 75-yard, back-shoulder catch for the go-ahead touchdown late in the game, with a spin move that sent two Bulldogs defenders running into each other.
That was highlight-reel play No. 2 for the freshman from Saraland (Alabama) High School.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe runs the ball for a touchdown against Georgia during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Credit: AP/Vasha Hunt
Earlier, he bobbled the ball at least twice before turning and snagging it out of the air. Then Williams instantly spun the other direction to complete a 54-yard gain.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart illustrated the seemingly unsolvable dilemma of trying to contain the Milroe-Williams duo when asked about it by ESPN before the game.
Milroe's running ability makes it hard to double team Williams.
“I said we can’t do anything special for Ryan Williams,” Smart, a former Alabama defensive coordinator, said afterward. “They got a guy back there at quarterback that could be the best running back in the country, and he throws the ball. You can’t put two people on Ryan Williams, you can’t do it.”
Williams has led Alabama in receiving in all four games. He has 16 catches for 462 yards and five touchdowns after reclassifying to enter college a year early.
Williams said the season so far has been like a dream he doesn’t want to end. “I like the dream,” he said.
Milroe, meanwhile, had to bide his time for two years at Alabama before getting his shot last season. He wound up leading the Tide to the Southeastern Conference championship after an early benching and has returned better than ever.
Milroe's passer rating of 204.7 trails only No. 12 Mississippi's Jaxson Dart in the FBS. Two plays against the Bulldogs show his dual-threat abilities.
Milroe brushed off Georgia star safety Malaki Starks in the backfield before sprinting 36 yards for a touchdown on fourth down in the second quarter. His most impressive throw might have been on a wheel route to tailback Jam Miller for a touchdown.
Milroe placed the ball perfectly to a well-covered Miller.
“Guys don’t always have to be wide open right now,” DeBoer said. “You saw him throwing guys open and you saw receivers anticipate that and going, Hey, I’m going to get the ball. That’s progress in our passing game. If we keep doing that, we’re going to be tough to defend.”
