Alabama’s recent football game against Oklahoma featured a notable strategy shift as the team employed two punt returners, Ryan Williams and Cole Adams. This tactical decision comes in light of Alabama’s primary punt returner, Adams, who has successfully fielded 11 punts for a total of 96 yards this season, with his longest return reaching 36 yards. The change was part of the coaching strategy articulated by Alabama’s head coach, Kalen DeBoer.
During the game, Williams returned two punts for 25 yards, marking his first attempts of the season. Although one of these returns resulted in a fumble, DeBoer expressed confidence in the overall performance of both players. “He hit long ones and he hit short ones. Some of the short ones ended up being longer kicks, because you play for the long game. I thought our guys did a good job of the fielding part,” DeBoer said. His comments reflect an emphasis on adaptability in special teams play.
DeBoer elaborated on the reasoning behind this dual return strategy. “From a schematic standpoint, that was a lot of the reason for that. You saw some of the ones that went longer, Ryan got his hands on those. Obviously, field position plays a little bit of a role, but there were some shorter ones too. I felt like what we were doing made sense,” he explained. This approach illustrates a calculated move to enhance Alabama’s field position, which is crucial in tight matchups.
Looking ahead, Alabama, currently ranked No. 10, is set to face Eastern Illinois on October 7, 2023, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The team will aim to rebound from their narrow loss to Oklahoma, where a strong defensive performance from Oklahoma contributed to a 23-21 upset. This loss adds complexity to Alabama’s trajectory in both the Southeastern Conference and the College Football Playoff discussions.
As Alabama prepares for their next challenge, the coaching staff’s focus on special teams and tactical flexibility may play a pivotal role in their performance and overall success this season.
