How would Alabama football defense stop star freshman Ryan Williams? 'Hold him'

As Alabama football prepares to respond after its high-profile home win against Georgia Saturday against Vanderbilt , the college football world is still centered on the Crimson Tide 's game-winning touchdown.

Trailing 34-33 in the final three minutes against the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs , Jalen Milroe found freshman Ryan Williams on the field side. Williams jumped up past Georgia defensive back Julian Humphrey, snagged the reception, cut back behind a diving defensive back in K.J. Bolden and started to run, recording a 75-yard score to beat the Bulldogs 41-34 .

What would Alabama safety Malachi Moore have done in that situation?

"Hold him," Moore said with a grin.

It's a play Alabama linebacker Que Robinson said was "all over Twitter" when he got home after the Crimson Tide's win, a play he ended up watching over and over.

"I ain't gonna lie, I've never seen nobody do that," Robinson said. "And I've been coming here watching football games since 2016, and I ain't never seen nothing like that. I was pretty shocked."

Those "spectacular plays" Williams makes have become reality for the Crimson Tide as he currently leads the team in receptions (16), receiving yards (462) and touchdown receptions (5).

"He's been making plays since he first got here," Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson said of Williams. "So it was nothing new for us."

That 54-yard reception Williams bobbled twice against the Bulldogs? Moore saw it twice during summer 7-on-7 drills.

"I just think he was locked into the football," Moore said. "And when you prepare the way he prepares and the way he attacks the work, good things happen to you."

That's just who Williams is. It's what the rest of the SEC and the college football world is being introduced to.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How would Alabama football defense stop star freshman Ryan Williams? 'Hold him'