Goodman: Ryan Williams is CFB’s Messi, but not yet convinced by Bama

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Joe Goodman’s SEC opinion column appears every Tuesday on AL.com.

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Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer can stay, but I’m not yet convinced that Alabama is the best team in the country.

There is still a lot of work to be done with this defense.

Those looking for rat poison for Alabama in Tuesday’s SEC column won’t find anything here. The Crimson Tide’s defense allowed Georgia and its questionable quarterback to score 34 points in the final three quarters of Saturday’s instant classic at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tennessee appears to have the best defense in the SEC and Kentucky held Georgia to 13 points. Alabama remains a work in progress.

Albeit a hugely entertaining and preternaturally talented work in progress.

I mean, if the goal is to “kill everyone,” as clearly expressed by the black eye that receiver Ryan Williams wore in Alabama’s 41-34 win over the Dawgs, then Alabama is far from finished.

Now that I think about it, this may be bad news for everyone else here in the SEC as the calendar switches from September to the month of the Hunter’s Moon.

Alabama is the new No. 1 seed in the Associated Press poll, but let’s face it, the AP and Coaches rankings mean absolutely nothing. The College Football Playoff committee does not determine the true top 25 until the first Tuesday in November. For now, Tennessee remains the best team in the league, but this third Saturday in October is shaping up to be an old-school SEC treasure.

Texas and Oklahoma wouldn’t know about it.

“Kill Everyone” Controversy.

There isn’t much I haven’t seen at this point in my career, but I put the majestic grace of Alabama’s freshman receiver from Saraland on par with a young Lionel Messi or Allen Iverson.

Ryan Williams’ movements on the field remind me of the physical poetry of a world-class soccer or basketball player. Messi has La Croqueta And Iverson had the crossover. Williams’ movement in tight spaces can be on par with these legends with a little more spice.

However, Williams is already an ultimate showman. His touchdown celebration after giving Alabama the winning score began before he crossed the goal line. After all his rotation and speed, Williams made a point to remove his mouthpiece before entering the end zone. He wanted all the cameras to see his perfect smile.

In football, referees are not allowed to allow players to remove their helmets during celebrations. Ripping off the mouthpiece feels like a signature celebration staged for the popular college football video game. There is no doubt in my mind that Williams’ greatest motivation as an entertainer is to land on the cover of EA Sports College Football 2026.

As for the black eye, I’m not sure if it defines the video game.

I have to admit that I had to laugh at Williams’ eye-black message, “Kill Everybody,” but I understand why others didn’t. Perhaps “Kill Everybody” was a trademark play by Williams or just a nod to a line in the cult football classic “The Program.” Either way, I wouldn’t expect to see “Kill Everybody” this Saturday under the eyes of Alabama’s new superstar.

Look, more than half of adult men in Alabama have pickup trucks older than Williams. I’m not going to be the guy who criticizes a 17-year-old for wanting to make a statement in his first big game. However, the NCAA has an eye black rule and I’m surprised no one has pointed it out yet. In 2010, after Tim Tebow wrote Bible verses on his eye black and Reggie Bush wrote on his hometown area code, the NCAA issued a rule banning messages on eye black.

However, there is no doubt that “Kill Everybody” will soon be found on many officially licensed Ryan Williams merchandise. I know what to get my nieces and nephews for Hanukkah and Christmas.

Hugh Freeze, confident man

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze makes me laugh and is quickly becoming one of the favorite coaches I’ve ever covered.

He says what he thinks and means what he says. I love him for that. He makes others shudder, but let’s hope he never changes.

For example, listen to him talk for five seconds about his team blowing an 11-point lead and you know you’re hearing the words of a man who is planning for the future with every ounce of his being. I can’t write this loud enough: Danny Hugh Freeze, Jr. speaks with the insane confidence of a man who knows his job is completely safe.

At his weekly press conference on Monday, Freeze noted that Auburn should be 5-0 if his team hadn’t made some unfortunate mistakes. I love this man. He’s every reporter’s dream.

Former Auburn coaches Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin didn’t offer a single quote worth using during their entire tenures on the Plains. Freeze is a quote engine.

But is Freeze simply confident or is he a “man of confidence”? Big difference.

THE GREAT KIFFINATION OF OLE MISS

The ACC had “Clemsoning” back before Dabo Swinney turned things around for his Tigers. The SEC’s version of contracting under pressure will now forever be called “Kiffining.” [BANGS GAVEL]

PURCHASE: Stock in Deion Sanders beats out Kiffin for the Florida job. If the Gators want to rule the SEC (and the entire state of Florida) again, then their rulers should already be talking to Coach Prime behind the scenes.

SALE: Four SEC teams in the College Football Playoff. The SEC has tried to structure its schedules to get the most teams into the College Football Playoff, and I applaud Commissioner Greg Sankey for that effort. However, I don’t see a path for a three-loss SEC team in the CFP. My prediction for week 6? In: Tennessee, Alabama and Texas. From: Georgia, Ole Miss and Missouri.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Think about it. Alabama is at Vanderbilt and Auburn is at Georgia on Saturday. Auburn is a bigger underdog against a major rival (24 points) than Vandy is against the Crimson Tide (23.5). This is all thanks to NIL. Vandy is closing the gap, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Commodores give Alabama a scare after the Crimson Tide’s epic battle against Georgia.

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Joseph Goodman is the leading sports columnist for Alabama Media Group and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”