Alabama predictably tabbed a better Ryan Williams fit than Auburn football

Wouldn't you know? Tuscaloosa News' Nick Kelly believes that Kalen DeBoer's Alabama offense would be a better fit for Ryan Williams than Auburn football would; making somewhat of a public plea to the Saraland receiver to consider the Crimson Tide.

"Alabama is one of many programs vying for his services, and Auburn is right up there too," Kelly prefaced before saying, "But if insight from Penix and other players is any indication, Williams might not find a better offense than the Crimson Tide's under new coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. In back-to-back years, 2022 and 2023, Penix had two 1,000-yard receivers each season."

The insight Kelly was referring to was former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. talking up his former Huskies coach DeBoer, who coached the QB to a College Football Playoff Championship Game appearance.

"It’s just fun," Penix said of the DeBoer/Ryan Grubb offense that's coming to Tuscaloosa in 2024. "It’s explosive. You’re going to be able to push the ball down the field, and you’re going to see a lot of explosive plays all across the field, especially with them calling it, they always put you in the right position to make a great play. It made my job very easy."

Alabama a better fit for Ryan Williams than Auburn football if targets is all he's looking for

Kelly's right about Alabama being a better fit for Williams than Auburn would be in one sense: Williams would get more targets from the Crimson Tide's starting QB -- presumably Jalen Milroe, though 4-star six-foot-six DeBoer recruit Austin Mack looms -- in 2024 than AU would because the Tigers have two 5-stars, Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson, who will be vying for the lion's share of available targets.

Auburn's new offensive coordinator, Derrick Nix, may also want to prioritize the Tigers' deep running back room in an offense Payton Thorne may still be in charge of; and if not Thorne, either redshirted Hank Brown or true freshman Walker White.

If Williams wants to be the star of an Alabama team with a ceiling of nine wins, the Tide is a better fit than the Tigers would be.

But if he wants to be remembered as someone who helped turn everything around for AU, while having less attention paid to him by defenses due to Coleman, Thompson, and the rest of the Freeze Five, the choice is clear.