The Hollywood movie directed by Ryan Williams depicts one of the greatest games in Alabama football history and this is just the beginning of the story.
A1 Digital India News: Alabama's Ryan Williams lobs a pass from Jalen Miller against Georgia defender Julian Humphrey and launches the game-winning 75-yard touchdown pass in a 41-34 win over Georgia on Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Williams — the youngest player in major college football at 17 — has six catches on seven targets for 177 yards and has scored in every game so far.
Time will tell if Ryan Williams will be one of college football's enduring symbols when he gets a football in his hands, just like Tiger Woods' 7-iron, Hank Aaron's bat, Michael Jordan's basketball, Wallenda's high wire, Davinci's painting, Gabriel Horn or Denzel Washington create feelings of artistry and grandeur with villains all around.
But even if Williams never caught another football, his 75-yard touchdown catch and run against Georgia on Saturday night will forever be remembered as one of the greatest plays in Alabama football history — one of the greatest college football players to ever play only a fourth-round game.
So Sunday's 41-34 win lifted the Crimson Tide to No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in two years, ahead of Texas and Ohio State, reminding us that Williams' touchdown made it all possible.
Alabama receiver Ryan Williams and Saraland coach Jeff Kelley walk onto the field Saturday before the Georgia game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The former Spartans star and two-time Mr. Football has become a household name nationally. (Photo on Facebook)
The play earned its place in Alabama folklore not only because of its degree of difficulty, but also because it occurred at a time when mountains were breaking apart and titanic tides were rising from the depths to overturn canoes.
The Bulldogs overcame a 30-7 deficit at halftime to take a 34-33 lead in what would have been the largest comeback ever in a game between top-five teams, mainly because Williams was limited to short series. But, as always, one had a feeling he would showcase his talent for the dramatic and it didn't matter if it was against Georgia or Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. There are Hollywood movies and there are Hollywood comedies. Give me sports movies.
It happened on Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in front of 100,000 witnesses, including Saban himself and former President Donald Trump, who recognized that Williams helped bring Alabama back after four years without a national championship. It's the first time millions of fans across the country stopped and paid attention to the new player nicknamed "Hollywood."
Thirteen seconds after the Bulldogs took the lead, quarterback Jalen Miller, whose stellar play had slowed Georgia in the first half, pushed Williams down the field in one-on-one coverage from cornerback Julian Humphrey. Milroy — who said after Williams' college debut that he would probably never make it to Hollywood — underestimated him on his way to moving on. Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart, who is now 1-6 against the Tide, has solid reasons to prefer Humphrey in man coverage against Williams.
For one, Humphrey's Instagram nickname is "The Blanket." For another, Georgia needs an extra defender to protect Miller off the line of scrimmage. "They have a guy at quarterback who might be the best runner in the country and he throws the ball," Smart said. "You can't put two guys on Ryan Williams. You can't do that. You have to force (Milroy) to make the throw."
A Bulldog lineman dropped the Alabama blocker almost into Miller's lap, interrupting the delivery a little. Everything seemed to work in Smart's favor, except for Miller's reliance on Williams to change a flat tire while driving at high speed on the freeway, as the incomplete pitch left Miller's hands.
What happened next could become a painting, but if you look at what another Williams would do, the university's Paul W. Bryant Museum may need to add a wing to make it an excellent gallery.
Williams tackled the dropped ball and stepped back to catch it, inches from the boundary, as Blankenship suddenly began flying high. Defensive back K.J. Bolden came up behind to win the play, but Williams suddenly put his right foot on the ground, a brake tap forced Humphrey and Bolden to collide and Georgia fans fell off the couch and started choking on celebratory slivers and dips.
The momentum of Humphrey and Bolden pulled them in front of Williams and put him in position to stop him. However, drawing water from deep, spontaneous wells, Williams did a 360-degree turn and passed them like he was a scarecrow. Coming at full speed, and with so much wind blowing in his face, Williams barely had time to open his mouth before he scored. “King