Auburn linebacker blasts Ryan Williams, Alabama ahead of Iron Bowl
Auburn linebacker DeMarcus Riddick is starting Iron Bowl week with a bang.
Auburn linebacker DeMarcus Riddick is starting Iron Bowl week with a bang. During a Monday media availability, the freshman defender took multiple shots at Alabama and its players ahead of Saturday’s game against the Crimson Tide.
Alabama is currently an 11.5-point favorite over Auburn, but that doesn’t seem to faze Riddick in the slightest. The Clanton, Alabama native not only predicted an upset for the Tigers this year but also said he wouldn’t lose to the Tide during his time on the Plains.
“Bama is a big rival team,” Riddick said. “Every rival team I played, I never lost to, and I will never lose, I will not lose to Alabama while I’m here.”
For the record, Auburn and Riddick already suffered a 31-13 defeat to Georgia in a series that is dubbed the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. According to Pro Football Focus, Riddick recorded a season-low 24.7 tackling grade against the Bulldogs, whiffing on two tackle attempts.
Riddick signed with Auburn as the top outside linebacker and No. 42 overall player in this year’s class. Through 11 games this season, he has 25 tackles, including five stops for a loss and three sacks.
Riddick, the fifth-rated player in the state of Alabama, also took a shot at Tide receiver Ryan Williams, who was tabbed as the state’s top talent in this year’s class. Williams reclassified to join the Tide a year early after becoming the first back-to-back recipient of the state’s Mr. Football award. The five-star freshman is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, leading Alabama with 42 receptions for 804 yards and eight touchdowns. He has also scored a pair of touchdowns with his legs.
“Ryan Williams is Ryan Williams,” Riddick said. “Yeah, he’s electric. He’s all this and that. But in my eyes, he ain’t really nobody to me. Ryan Williams is himself. He ain’t no big-time player to me.”
Along with disparaging Williams, Riddick also gave his opinion on Jalen Milroe, proclaiming he would lock up the dual-threat Alabama quarterback. Milroe ran for 107 yards during last year’s Iron Bowl. He also completed 16 of 24 passes for 259 yards and two scores, including the game-winning touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 31-yard line in the final minute of Alabama’s 27-24 victory.
“He is a good quarterback,” Riddick said. “He’s fast, but he’s not faster than me. … He will not get out that box this week.”
No. 7 Alabama (8-3, 4-3 in the SEC) will host Auburn (5-6, 2-5) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The Tide holds a four-game winning streak over the Tigers and hasn’t lost an Iron Bowl inside Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2010.
