Alabama is taking precautions with superstar wide receiver Ryan Williams as it continues its spring practices. Williams was the Crimson Tide’s top wideout last season but is expected to be limited for the remainder of the spring.
Williams did not participate in Alabama’s second spring scrimmage Friday. Coach Kalen DeBoer gave an update on the talented receiver’s status and said the decision was a precautionary one as Williams deals with a few nagging injuries.
“We didn’t have Ryan scrimmage today, just taking care of him,” DeBoer said. “We know what we have there. He might not do much the rest of the spring. There’s a couple nicks and things like that, but if you asked him he’d be out there and scrimmaging. He’s dressed up and ready to go, but just being really careful with some things he’s going through here the last week or so.”
DeBoer also gave an update on Alabama’s tight end room. The Tide will be without fifth-year tight end Josh Cuevas as well as freshman Marshall Pritchett for the remainder of spring practice. DeBoer confirmed that Cuevas, who had 16 catches for 218 yards and one touchdown last season, will be ready to go by the fall. He did not give a full update on Pritchett, who joined Alabama as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2025.
“So the tight end position went from kind of lean at one point just with not all of the guys already here at that position,” DeBoer said. “[Four-star freshman] Kaleb Edwards isn’t here yet and with Danny Lewis not practicing this spring. So, thin there.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Alabama received some good news on a key member of the secondary last season. Safety Keon Sabb has been out for Alabama since its loss to Tennesse on Oct. 19, when he suffered a lower body injury. Sabb underwent surgery following the injury.
Sabb remains out through the spring, but DeBoer said the Michigan transfer has been diligent in his rehab and took another key step forward in his process to return. Sabb had 39 tackles, four pass deflections and a pair of interceptions in his shortened first season at Alabama.
“Keon, we just continue to get the feedback and reports, it’s been super positive,” DeBoer said. “Even today we got another positive report, probably as positive as we’ve had, and we expected that. But just excited for him to be able to get going and keep taking those steps when you get to those benchmarks and going onto the next level.
“So he’s on track. He’s on pace. It was quite and injury that he was coming back from and the fight, I’m never going to question that because maybe some of you know last fall what he worked through and the way he sacrificed himself, the Tennessee game, in particular. Kind of that two-game stretch there leading up to it. He’s got a lot of fight, and people respect him and I do too for that.”
