Ryan Williams it affected him alabama football Teammates from Day 1. Literally.

Crimson Tide co-offensive coordinator/receiving coach JaMarcus Shephard told the story Wednesday.

“When Ryan first came here and had one of his first practices, he went out there and had a really great day,” Shephard said. “The experienced players here said, ‘Get the ball to number 2’ as soon as I got on the field.”

It’s notable that veteran players want a 17-year-old freshman to receive the ball. It certainly caught Shephard’s attention back in August. But this is not a complete anomaly.

“Here’s the thing at the University of Alabama: They know who’s playing at a high level,” Shephard said. “They expect everyone out there to play at a high level. They don’t care who does the job. They just want the job done. I don’t care who pays my bills. I just want my bills paid. That’s what our guys want. They want the ball caught on Saturday. They don’t care who catches it.”

The veterans were right to want Williams to be the one to catch the ball. He has quickly become Alabama’s best receiver this season. So far, Williams has recorded 35 receptions for 702 yards and seven touchdowns.

Now he and No. 11 Alabama will face No. 15 LSU on Saturday (6:30 p.m. CT, ABC) at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The winning team will keep their play-off hopes alive. The loser will be all but eliminated from CFP contention.