The wide receiver makes a tough, contested catch. He spins away from two would-be tacklers before sprinting down the sideline for an incredible touchdown.
Bedlam breaks out among the crowd and his teammates. He is swamped as he celebrates in front of his fans. Not only was it an astonishing play, but – even more remarkably – it was made by a 17-year-old in just his fourth college game.
Ryan Williams’ extraordinary 75-yard touchdown with just over two minutes remained was the decisive score in No. 4 Alabama’s dramatic victory over No. 2 Georgia late last month and continued the teenager’s fast start in his college football career.
He finished the game with six catches for 177 yards and that touchdown. After his first five games of his debut season for the Crimson Tide, Williams has 19 catches for 544 yards and six touchdowns. He also has one rushing attempt for a touchdown.
Williams looks the part, too. He is not overawed by the stage and his “Kill Everybody” face tape reveals his lethal mentality.
Williams’ performance and the ending to the game against Georgia set social media abuzz, with sporting legends such as LeBron James, Chris Paul, JJ Watt and Dez Bryant all expressing their amazement at his brilliance.
Former tennis superstar Serena Williams even jokingly remarked at how “impressive” her 17-year-old “cousin” has been doing at Alabama.
The step up in pressure and stage at such a young age might seem daunting to most. Williams, though, says he just enjoying being out there.
“No, there was never really any pressure for me because I knew we prepared well,” he told reporters after the Georgia game when asked if he felt nervous heading into crunch time with the scores close.
“Like our whole team, all week long we prepared very hard, very well so I just felt confident the entire time. And they gave me the opportunity and I just made a play.”
But for Williams’ former high school coach, Jeff Kelly, the moment was a bit more special as he watched on from the seventh row of a packed-out Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“Whether Ryan ever catches a ball again for the rest of his career, he’s already entrenched himself in Alabama tradition for that play,” Kelly told CNN. “That’s one of the best plays in the history of Alabama, I think.
“The physiological things that he did on that play is something I don’t know that anybody’s ever seen.”