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Notebook: Jonah Williams turning heads with his outstanding play
Aaron Suttles | Beat Writer
Three offensive linemen have been singled out by the coaching staff for the weekly Player of the Week honors through four games this season: left tackle Cam Robinson, center Bradley Bozeman and right tackle Jonah Williams.
Williams has been recognized three out of the four weeks. What makes it even more exceptional is that heās a true freshman.
The 6-foot-5, 296-pounder from California started making his mark when he arrived on campus as an early enrollee during the spring semester. Now heās the Crimson Tideās most consistent offensive lineman.
āHeās just technically very sound,ā UA head coach Nick Saban said. āHeās very athletic, a very smart guy and just does a really good job of executing. Another one of guys that can take what you, sort of, coach him and bring it to the table and do it on a consistent basis.
āHeās made a tremendous amount of improvement from the spring to the beginning of the season to now. We certainly needed that at that position and he certainly provided it for us.ā
Williams has started all four games at right tackle, but truth be told, he could start at any of the five positions along the line if needed, even at center.
As Saban highlighted, what makes Williams so impressive is how technically sound he is in his footwork and his hand placement, traits that reveal he had good high school coaching and that he takes to coaching well. His teammates also say he puts in the work.
āHeās a really smart player,ā right guard Ross Pierschbacher said. āI mean heās a freak really, to be honest. As far in the weight room, whether it be there or in the film heās picked up the offense so quick, and doesnāt make many mental errors and stuff like that.
āHeās strong, powerful and explosive. Heās in the weight room all the time. Me and him will go in after practice, the dude is way bigger than I am, and we will do extra stuff. He loves the weight room. He lives in there, and it shows.ā
Saying goodbye to Les
Les Milesā firing Sunday afternoon came as no real surprise to those who had followed the drama in Baton Rouge, La., late in the season in 2015, but it doesnāt mean there wasnāt strong reactions when the pair parted ways.
That includes Saban, who held a 7-3 record against Miles, including a current five-game winning streak. Saban lamented that a coach who accomplished as much as Miles had at LSU would be fired mid-season.
āFirst of all, Les Miles is one of the most respected colleagues in terms of the rivalry that we've had, the competition that we've had, the great teams that they've had,ā Saban said. āI kind of hated that a man wins a national championship, wins two SEC titles and doesn't make it through the season.
āIt is what it is, but I have a tremendous amount of respect for Les Miles and what he was able to accomplish there, the number of wins he had. This is very similar to Georgia firing Mark Richt when he averages 10 wins a season. I guess this is the time that we live in, everybody needs to know that, but it doesn't minimize to any degree the amount of respect that I have for the job that Les Miles did at LSU, the great competitive teams that he's had there for a long, long time and the amount of success that he's had. And certainly wish him and his family well.ā
Injury update
Sophomore Damien Harris, the teamās leading rusher, remains day to day after sustaining an ankle sprain in the win against Kent State on Saturday.ā(He) probably wonāt do much today,ā Saban said. āArDarius Stewart and Robert Foster will both still be listed as day to day and questionable for this game.ā
Line
Alabama opened as a 31-point favorite over Kentucky this weekend. By early afternoon Monday that line had moved to -34.5. It is the largest margin the Crimson Tide has been favored over an SEC opponent since the 34-point spread it was favored by against Auburn in 2012.
Number changes
Junior defensive Tony Brown, who is returning from an NCAA suspension this week, has changed jersey numbers from No. 7 to No. 2. True freshman Trevon Diggs, who has played offense, defense and special teams, has wore No. 7 this season.
True freshman defensive back Jared Mayden is now No. 8.
TideSports.com - Notebook: Jonah Williams turning heads with his outstanding play
Aaron Suttles | Beat Writer
Three offensive linemen have been singled out by the coaching staff for the weekly Player of the Week honors through four games this season: left tackle Cam Robinson, center Bradley Bozeman and right tackle Jonah Williams.
Williams has been recognized three out of the four weeks. What makes it even more exceptional is that heās a true freshman.
The 6-foot-5, 296-pounder from California started making his mark when he arrived on campus as an early enrollee during the spring semester. Now heās the Crimson Tideās most consistent offensive lineman.
āHeās just technically very sound,ā UA head coach Nick Saban said. āHeās very athletic, a very smart guy and just does a really good job of executing. Another one of guys that can take what you, sort of, coach him and bring it to the table and do it on a consistent basis.
āHeās made a tremendous amount of improvement from the spring to the beginning of the season to now. We certainly needed that at that position and he certainly provided it for us.ā
Williams has started all four games at right tackle, but truth be told, he could start at any of the five positions along the line if needed, even at center.
As Saban highlighted, what makes Williams so impressive is how technically sound he is in his footwork and his hand placement, traits that reveal he had good high school coaching and that he takes to coaching well. His teammates also say he puts in the work.
āHeās a really smart player,ā right guard Ross Pierschbacher said. āI mean heās a freak really, to be honest. As far in the weight room, whether it be there or in the film heās picked up the offense so quick, and doesnāt make many mental errors and stuff like that.
āHeās strong, powerful and explosive. Heās in the weight room all the time. Me and him will go in after practice, the dude is way bigger than I am, and we will do extra stuff. He loves the weight room. He lives in there, and it shows.ā
Saying goodbye to Les
Les Milesā firing Sunday afternoon came as no real surprise to those who had followed the drama in Baton Rouge, La., late in the season in 2015, but it doesnāt mean there wasnāt strong reactions when the pair parted ways.
That includes Saban, who held a 7-3 record against Miles, including a current five-game winning streak. Saban lamented that a coach who accomplished as much as Miles had at LSU would be fired mid-season.
āFirst of all, Les Miles is one of the most respected colleagues in terms of the rivalry that we've had, the competition that we've had, the great teams that they've had,ā Saban said. āI kind of hated that a man wins a national championship, wins two SEC titles and doesn't make it through the season.
āIt is what it is, but I have a tremendous amount of respect for Les Miles and what he was able to accomplish there, the number of wins he had. This is very similar to Georgia firing Mark Richt when he averages 10 wins a season. I guess this is the time that we live in, everybody needs to know that, but it doesn't minimize to any degree the amount of respect that I have for the job that Les Miles did at LSU, the great competitive teams that he's had there for a long, long time and the amount of success that he's had. And certainly wish him and his family well.ā
Injury update
Sophomore Damien Harris, the teamās leading rusher, remains day to day after sustaining an ankle sprain in the win against Kent State on Saturday.ā(He) probably wonāt do much today,ā Saban said. āArDarius Stewart and Robert Foster will both still be listed as day to day and questionable for this game.ā
Line
Alabama opened as a 31-point favorite over Kentucky this weekend. By early afternoon Monday that line had moved to -34.5. It is the largest margin the Crimson Tide has been favored over an SEC opponent since the 34-point spread it was favored by against Auburn in 2012.
Number changes
Junior defensive Tony Brown, who is returning from an NCAA suspension this week, has changed jersey numbers from No. 7 to No. 2. True freshman Trevon Diggs, who has played offense, defense and special teams, has wore No. 7 this season.
True freshman defensive back Jared Mayden is now No. 8.
TideSports.com - Notebook: Jonah Williams turning heads with his outstanding play
