Nick Saban reveals the growth he's seen in Bryce Young ahead of 2022 season-opener vs. Utah State

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is maybe the best player in college football, but what impressed his head coach, Nick Saban, over the offseason was the fact that you wouldn’t really know it from how Young worked. He stayed committed to improving and didn’t let a fantastic debut season change how he went about things.

According to Saban, Young has been on basically the same course since bursting on to the scene in 2021, winning the Heisman trophy and leading Alabama to a national championship game appearance. While that may be a little anticlimactic on its face, it could portend long afternoons for SEC defenses.

“Well Bryce played great last year and the guy won the Heisman trophy,” Saban said. “But I think the most important thing that I’ve seen is none of what he did last year has affected the way he’s tried to prepare and improve and do the things that he needs to do to be effective this year, with the team we have this year, in terms of his leadership, the things he does day-in and day-out to try to be the best player he can be. So, you know, I can’t ask more of a guy. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do and he’s done it in a very positive, first-class way. So hopefully he’ll be fortunate enough to stay healthy and have a great year this year.”

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Young tore it up in 2021, completing nearly 67% of his passes to the tune of 4872 passing yards and 47 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. Alabama won the SEC and made it to the national title game before losing in an SEC title rematch with Georgia.

And of course, Young’s play in 2021 was enough for him to secure the Heisman trophy, given to “the most outstanding player in college football.”