Ryan Williams shares his 4th-and-31 memory, when he was ‘flirting with Auburn’

Ryan Williams was an Alabama football commit, but he was still being pursued by other schools last fall.

At the same time, he was mulling a decision whether to reclassify to the 2024 recruiting class.

It all made for an interesting backdrop when Williams attended the 2023 Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium, while on a recruiting visit to Auburn. Especially when it came to the iconic fourth-and-31 play.

“So you know all the stuff that was going on around me reclassifying,” Williams said recently on his “New Wave” podcast. “All of the Alabama-Auburn stuff because my dad went to Auburn. I wanted to go to Alabama. All that stuff was going on. The Iron Bowl last year. I was just flirting with Auburn. Just entertaining it. I had a lot of family friends. I had some good relationships there.”

Then Williams shared a message he received before the game. He didn’t specify from whom, though.

“It was like, ‘Hey when we win, you going to commit at center field. And we’re rushing the field and you’re going to commit at center field,’” Williams said. “I’m at Auburn and this is an Auburn visit. I was like (face palm). You know the recruits, they be trolling anyway. They were like, ‘Yeah we’re going to make you. We’re going to make you. We’re going out there and we’re rushing the field.’”

Williams had trouble figuring out how to act as an Alabama commit among Auburn recruits and Auburn folks. It also made it difficult when the Crimson Tide struggled.

“We weren’t having the best game,” Williams said. “And then you’ve got to think about it. I’m an Alabama commit up there. Every time we do something good … I can’t just be happy. Everyone around me is going to be looking at me crazy.”

Williams really didn’t know how to think when it looked more and more possible that Auburn could win. When Alabama found itself in a fourth-and-31 situation, needing a touchdown to keep the game alive, an Auburn field storming looked inevitable.

“When I say I was shaking in my boots …,” Williams said.

Williams watched from the opposite end zone, preparing himself for the inevitable field rush.

“Before the game, I’m entertained,” Williams said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah I’m going to run. I’m going to run. I’m going to do it.’ I didn’t want to do it.”

Jalen Milroe and Isaiah Bond made sure he didn’t have to. Milroe found Bond in the back of the end zone for the score to give Alabama the victory.

“I was like (mouth gaping),” Williams said.

Williams ended up reclassifying on Dec. 11, but then he decommitted from Alabama a month later when Nick Saban retired. New coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff managed to convince Williams to re-commit by Jan. 24. Then Williams signed his national letter of intent Feb. 7.

He has made an instant impact in 2024. Williams has caught 10 receptions for 285 yards and four touchdowns over three games as a starting receiver.