The latest example of Alabama WR Jameson Williams’ elite speed, plus other notes

Jameson Williams’ first Alabama touchdown, when he pulled away from Miami defenders en route to a 94-yard score in the season-opener, represented just the second time that Crimson Tide director of sport science Matt Rhea had seen a player eclipse 23 mph on an individual play.

Now, Williams has done it again. The Tide’s GPS tracking system clocked him at 23 mph during an Alabama practice this week. It was the first time Rhea, who is in his second season at Alabama after working at Indiana and IMG Academy, has seen a player reach that type of number in a practice setting.

Aided by that speed, Williams leads the SEC in yards per catch (20.3), ranks second in receiving yardage (88.8 yards per game) and is tied for seventh with eight total touchdowns. 

Williams, who is emerging as a potential first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has had a reception of at least 65 yards in four of Alabama’s first seven games against FBS teams. He also has two kick returns for touchdowns.

“I don’t know if this wide receiver class has as many explosive, playmaking guys as previous drafts,” an NFL scout told On3 earlier this month. “A lot of possession-type guys in this year’s class. But he is an explosive guy and the best receiver on Bama’s team. I think that guy’s an absolute game-breaker.

“I need to see more of the actual film of what he’s doing without the ball in his hands and the route-running and all that, but you can’t deny that that dude is freaking explosive. And you have the return capability from him, too. I think he has the potential to be a first-round pick. I don’t think there’s a clear-cut No. 1 receiver in this draft class, so I think there’s going to be a lot of competition to see who those first-round receivers are. Anybody that’s got explosive playmaking ability is going to get the edge in my opinion.”

There’s a WR posting even crazier numbers than Drake London

No Power 5 wide receiver ever has ever more catches through seven games than USC star Drake London has this season (79). Yet, if you expand it beyond just Power 5 players, London doesn’t even have the most catches nationally this season.

That distinction belongs to Western Kentucky’s Jerreth Sterns, who joined the Hilltoppers from FCS Houston Baptist along with quarterback Bailey Zappe, offensive coordinator Zach Kittley and a few others. Through seven games, the 5-foot-9, 195-pound Sterns has 83 catches for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns. Sterns, who had 47 catches in four games for Houston Baptist last season, has 60 catches, 717 yards and six touchdowns in Western Kentucky’s past four games alone.

Based on his current averages of 11.9 catches, 153.9 yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game, Sterns is on a pace to finish the season with 155 catches, 2,001 yards and 19 touchdowns if Western Kentucky (3-4) is able to make it to a bowl.

That catch total would tie Freddie Barnes (Bowling Green) for second all-time behind Zay Jones, who had 158 catches for ECU in 2016. The yardage total would rank second behind Nevada’s Trevor Insley (2,060 in 1999). Insley is the only FBS player with 2,000 receiving yards in a season.

Virginia surging behind record-setting passing attack

Before this season, through the days of quarterbacks such as Aaron Brooks, Matt Schaub, Kurt Benkert and Bryce Perkins, Virginia had just three 400-yard passing games in school history. That number has now been more than doubled thanks to Brennan Armstrong.

Armstrong, who ranks first among Power 5 quarterbacks at 402.5 passing yards per game, has eclipsed that 400-yard total in four of the Cavaliers’ past seven games and is responsible for the top two performances in school history in passing yards in a game (554 vs. North Carolina, 487 vs. Louisville).

Armstrong is on a pace to throw for 5,232 yards in 13 games, which would shatter Deshaun Watson’s ACC record for single-season passing yards (4,593). Armstrong has helped the Cavs win four in a row since starting 2-2.

In Virginia’s most recent win, 48-40 over Georgia Tech, Armstrong threw for 396 yards, ran for an additional 99 yards and accounted for six total touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) with no turnovers.