Bryce Young discusses living up to Alabama's quarterback legacy

Bryce Young was announced as the 2021 winner of the Mannin Award earlier this week.

With three current starters in the NFL, the Crimson Tide quarterback was asked about living up to the legacy of playing quarterback for Alabama.

“There’s such a great legacy of quarterbacks at the University of Alabama, especially recently. They’ve had so much success, so many successful guys and a lot of guys that I look up to and have been able to learn from. So, for me, I wouldn’t say it was anything added, because that’s something you understand when you decide to go to Alabama,” Bryce Young said.

The Alabama signal caller went on to mention that he understood the challenges of the position when he agreed to play in Tuscaloosa.

“You understand there’s always going to be expectations, you understand that there’s going to be great players that came before you that really set the precedent for what you want to accomplish individually and what we want to accomplish as a team. So, I don’t think it was necessarily any added pressure because I understood it going in. It wasn’t something that suddenly happened, it’s something that you sign up for and understand the moment you even start considering Alabama, let alone when you start contributing and being a part of the team. For me it was just something to take pride in. And really it was an advantage to be able to watch film on those guys when I first got here and it’s encouraging to see the success that they’ve had [in the NFL] and knowing the success they had here at the university. So, it was really just a great opportunity to learn under those guys and the people I’ve got to meet [here], whether it be through film or a few years ago. I’m just happy to do the best that I can to try to push forward the legacy of quarterbacks here.”

Bryce Young discusses Archie Manning comments

Young, who won the 2021 Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien, also added the Manning Award for best quarterback to his growing trophy cabinet this postseason. The consensus All-American led a young Alabama team to a national championship appearance against the Georgia Bulldogs in his sophomore season.

Upon receiving the Manning Award, Bryce Young received high praise from College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning. The words shared put the young quarterback in an elite conversation.

“I tell my friends, I’ve seen a lot of quarterback play, but I call Bryce (Young) a cool customer,” Archie Manning said, via Bama Central’s Tony Tsoukalas. “I’ve just never seen anyone that plays in such a relaxed manner and plays so well.”

Coming from the father of Peyton and Eli Manning, who combined for four Super Bowl trophies, praise like that can boost his stock even higher than it has already. Young responded to the compliment with a word of thanks and compliment for the eldest Manning.

“That’s a huge compliment, a huge honor,” Bryce Young said in response. “And for it to come from the source, to hear that from Archie Manning, … knowing who he is and what he’s seen, how much he’s experienced. It’s a huge honor just to receive that compliment.”