Bryce Young says Bama is where you come for pressure, expectations
Bryce Young is the star quarterback for the University of Alabama. That label comes with a lot of attention, praise and yes, expectations. But Young is also a team player. In his mind, it’s not always about what’s best for him; it’s about what’s best for helping his team succeed.
On Thursday, we got a glimpse of that personality. While speaking to the media for the first time since getting to Alabama, Young was asked about his strengths as a player. Instead of making it about him, his response was team-oriented. He spoke of leadership and what he can do to help his team.
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“I just strive to be a leader on the field,” Young told reporters. “My goal is to really craft my game around what we [Alabama] need as a team. Whatever Coach [Bill] O’Brien, Coach [Nick] Saban wants me to do, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m someone who tries to work hard on and off the field, and really, I want to do whatever is best for the team.”
Young understands the pressures that come with being the starting quarterback at Alabama. He’s dealt with similar pressure dating back to his days as a blue chip recruit coming out of Mater Dei High School in California. There’s no avoiding it, but it’s not something he lets bother him.
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“Yeah, there’s obviously expectations,” Young said, “but for me, regardless of what happened in high school or any past experience I’ve had, coming to Bama is where you come for pressure and come for expectations. Everyone here, when they signed on the dotted line and decided to come here, we knew it was going to come with expectations.
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“Saban sets that standard for us immediately. During recruiting and when we step into the building. So, it’s not something I’ve been blindsided by, and honestly, I don’t think it’s something unique to me. I think everyone in the building has those expectations. I think that’s a big part of the success that we’ve had and the success that we’re working towards having.”
If you’re going to be the quarterback for the most recognizable college football program in the country, it’s best to take a similar approach to one we heard from Young. Pressure can be crippling, but it doesn’t have to be.
Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.
