Jordan Battle describes value of facing off against Bryce Young in practice

The Alabama football program prides itself on constantly seeking ways to improve, even when things are going well. Of course, that’s also a bit easier when you’re going against the nation’s best just about every day, including Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Bryce Young in practice.

Senior safety Jordan Battle is no stranger to picking up prestigious accolades himself, but even he admits going against Young every day in practice provides a unique opportunity.

In particular, Young has helped sharpen the Crimson Tide in one key area.

“I feel like our two-minute situations are very important,” Battle said. “Having a guy like Bryce to be on the other side of the ball getting us better, I feel like that prepares us for moments in the game when we have a two-minute offense.”

Through three games this season, Alabama has only been victimized once inside the final two minutes of a half or quarter.

That happened against Texas, when the Longhorns managed to drive from their own 25-yard line to Alabama’s 24. But the Crimson Tide did stiffen up inside the final two minutes of the game to force a field goal, coming up with a stop on third-and-3 and keeping the score 17-16. That allowed Young to go out and orchestrate a drive that set up the game-winning field goal.

Battle credits facing Bryce Young in practice with helping prepare the Tide defense for those vital two-minute situations in games.

“I feel like two-minute defensive possession, that helps us either before the half or at the end of the game,” he said. “I feel like that helps us with situations in the game.”

Alabama defense still out to improve

If there’s a theme coming out of Tuscaloosa this week, it’s that the Crimson Tide isn’t satisfied with where it’s at defensively right now.

Despite ranking top-25 nationally in virtually every major statistical category defensively, players still sound hungry. Battle himself noted Alabama is trying to get back to being ‘hateful competitors,’ using that as motivation to improve even more.

“I feel like were not at that level right now, but as that term goes, hateful competitors, coach likes to see the away team try to be dominant when we’re away instead of just being dominant when we’re home,” Battle said. “He mentioned that back then it was the opposite, we were dominant away and kind of so so home, so just trying to get back to that standard.”

Alabama will begin conference play this weekend when it hosts Vanderbilt for a game that kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.