Alabama’s receiver room may be leaning on next man up for more than one weekend.
Ryan Coleman-Williams left the Georgia game in the fourth quarter on Saturday night, and it was clear right away that the junior wideout was headed for at least a short absence. Kalen DeBoer essentially said as much Monday, when he said there was a "pretty good chance" Alabama would be without Coleman-Williams against Tennessee.
The first official sign should come Wednesday night, when Alabama releases its initial availability report of the week.
But the tone out of Tuscaloosa suggests this might not be just a one-game issue. Sophomore receiver Lotzeir Brooks said after Tuesday’s practice that Coleman-Williams could be out longer than the Tennessee trip.
"He's doing good, just trying to get better, trying to get back," Brooks said of Coleman-Williams. "It's gonna be a little while, but just gotta go 1-0. Next man up."
Coleman-Williams is dealing with more than one injury, which makes the situation trickier. Before the head injury against Georgia, he was already working through a knee issue. He has worn a bulky brace for the past two weeks, and his mobility has been limited.
Even if he gets through the concussion protocol, Alabama may decide it’s smarter to let the knee calm down before sending him back out. His burst has already taken a hit, and while he deserves credit for playing through it, the Crimson Tide would clearly prefer to have him fully healthy when it matters most.
If Alabama holds him out against Tennessee and Texas A&M, then uses the bye week after the Aggies, that would give him three full weeks to recover before the trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU on the first Saturday of November.
For now, Alabama does have options. Coleman-Williams is the most gifted receiver on the roster, but the Tide has enough depth to survive without him. Lotzeir Brooks and Rico Scott have both put together strong seasons, and there are more bodies waiting for their chance.
NC State transfer Noah Rogers, sophomore Derek Meadows and true freshman Cederian Morgan are all candidates to see more work while Coleman-Williams is sidelined.
There’s also a built-in wrinkle that helps Alabama absorb the loss. The Tide has leaned more heavily on 12- and 13-personnel groupings this season, putting two or three tight ends on the field and reducing the need for so many wideouts. That has opened up the run game, and with Marshall Pritchett and Kaleb Edwards both able to threaten defenses as pass-catchers, Alabama can still stay balanced and flexible on offense in those heavier sets.
If Coleman-Williams does end up missing extended time, those formations could show up even more often over the next couple of weeks.
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