What Officials Told Kalen DeBoer After Ryan Williams Had Touchdown Called Back

The freshman had two touchdowns called back in Oklahoma, but one left fans with numerous questions.

Nov 23, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer on the side lines during the third quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images

NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 7 Alabama football program went to Oklahoma and lost to the Sooners in deflating fashion as the Crimson Tide failed to score an offensive touchdown and saw their SEC championship game hopes dashed in a 24-3 loss.

Alabama battled throughout the night in Norman, trying to score to keep their postseason dreams alive. The Crimson Tide still had a chance to make it a game in the fourth quarter, despite a third quarter that saw the offense turn the ball over twice and fall into a 21-point deficit.

The Crimson Tide, facing a fourth-and-three on the second play of the fourth quarter, managed to capture lighting in a bottle as quarterback Jalen Milroe found freshman phenom Ryan Williams for a 36-yard touchdown pass. Unfortunately the play was erased by an illegal touching penalty, taking the touchdown off the board and ending Alabama's drive as the penalty also resulted on a loss of down.

"I mean it was just, they said it was illegal touching so someone would have had to have been covered up, ineligible," said Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer after the game.

It didn't count but this Ryan Williams catch was INSANE.

(📹: ABC) pic.twitter.com/HDd3lrnJCo

— Max Cohan (@MaxCohan) November 24, 2024

Illegal touching occurs in one of two scenarios, either a first-touch violation, or an ineligible receiver downfield. A first-touch violation occurs when an offensive player goes out of bounds, returns to play and is the first player to catch a pass. The second and likely more applicable variety is the ineligible receiver downfield.

Offensive formations must have seven men on the line of scrimmage and four in the backfield. Of the seven on the line of scrimmage only the two men on each ends of the line are eligible to catch a pass. Williams, in this case, lines up off the line of scrimmage and is one of the four players in Alabama's backfield, making the official's call all the more perplexing.

"I did not get a confirmation on that but we shouldn't be putting ourselves in the positions to allow an official to make a call," Alabama's Jalen Milroe said. "mWe've got to take full ownership of starting off faster and maximizing the opportunity we have in the game."