Alabama Football Film Room: Tim Williams vs. Arkansas

Tim Williams has really started to crank it up the past few games. He doesn’t have a multi-sack game yet, but he’s sitting at third on the team in sacks with 3.5, including one against Arkansas. And even beyond measurable stats, he’s been a terror on the edge, always forcing teams to account for him.

3rd and 14: Williams has his hand in the dirt as the left defensive end. He comes off the snap quickly and takes an outside step, drawing the right tackle in that direction, before cutting back inside. The tackle is able to pass him off to the right guard, who is not fully ready for it. Williams gets on the guard’s inside shoulder and spins him sideways, all the while driving towards QB Austin Allen. Williams gets right in Allen’s face and forces him to throw off his back foot. Hootie Jones should’ve had the pick here, but it’s incomplete and fourth down.

2nd and 7: Williams is standing up on the left of the line next to Da’Shawn Hand. Williams tries to go outside initially, but that’s not getting him anywhere. He keeps his eyes on Allen, shrugging off the tackle and coming back for the now scrambling quarterback. Reuben Foster was blitzing from his inside linebacker position, and the center sees him almost too late. Foster is shoved just enough to carry him wide of Allen, who has to step aside and then up. Hand, meanwhile, has effortlessly shoved the right guard back on a bull rush. He comes off and hits Allen as he’s going to dump it off to the running back. The ball flies free and hops right in front of Williams. He scoops it and loops around to a convoy of blockers (Da’Ron Payne gets an excellent block on the return, by the way). Williams takes off and scores Alabama’s 8th non-offensive touchdown of the season.

1st and 10: Williams is on the left side, standing up by Dalvin Tomlinson. Arkansas has the tight end Jeremy Sprinkle on him. Sprinkle is a talented player, but Tim Williams against a tight end is not a fair match-up. Sprinkle takes a first step to the outside, and that’s all Williams needs. He immediately cuts in, and it’s just a clear shot to Austin Allen. Williams is on him almost before he finishes his drop.

Here’s another angle of it:

On to the next play.

2nd and 8: Williams is standing up on the right side now, next to Hand again. Williams drops back into coverage and flows to his left as Allen does. Allen turns and passes back to the waiting RB Rawleigh Williams. Tim Williams does a good job of identifying the play and comes streaking in, but the center Frank Ragnow manages to get a hand on him and disrupts his path. Rawleigh Williams scoots by and gains a bunch. Tim Williams never gave up, though, and pursues the Razorback down the field.

2nd and 8: Williams is standing up to the left of the line right by Jonathan Allen. He once again drops back into coverage, settling into his zone. He keeps his feet moving and watches what Allen does. Both inside backers blitz, but the Arkansas running back and tight end are a little too slow in reacting to Rashaan Evans. Austin Allen manages to sidestep Evans, and he moves up to fire a pass to the wide open WR Keon Hatcher. Tim Williams is waiting, though; and he leaps and gets a hand on the pass. The deflected ball falls incomplete.

2nd and 19: Williams is standing up on the left with Dalvin Tomlinson by his side. The right tackle immediately kicks out, knowing the speed Tim Williams has. Williams stunts inside, however, while Tomlinson attacks the outside shoulder of the right guard. The tackle isn’t in position to lend too much assistance to the guard now, and Tomlinson slices between the two. Williams has knifed inside the huge gap between the right guard and the center, who shoves Williams as he’s shooting by; but it’s nowhere near enough to stop him. Tomlinson gets there first, but Allen escapes and scampers to his right. Williams changes direction and follows. He almost loses his balance but manages to stay on his feet and keep up the pursuit. Williams never gets Allen and the play ends up going for a long gain, but you can see his quickness through the line and his motor.