Alabama football: Nick Saban gives take on Bryce Young’s scrimmage performance
By John Buhler
Alabama football coach Nick Saban offers his opinion on Bryce Young’s performance at quarterback in a scrimmage.
For the Alabama football program to repeat as national champions, head coach Nick Saban knows he must get great play out of his new starting quarterback Bryce Young.
Though Young was a former five-star recruit out of California in 2020, he played sparingly in his true freshman season. This had everything to do with last year’s starter Mac Jones playing so brilliantly in Steve Sarkisian’s offensive system en route to winning the Davey O’Brien. With Jones turning pro, Saban gave us an update on how Young performed in a recent Alabama scrimmage.
Nick Saban on Bryce Young's scrimmage performance:
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) April 2, 2021
"Bryce did a pretty good job of managing the game and was accurate with the ball and did a nice job. Made a few explosive plays. But I thought really did a good job of managing the whole situation on offense when he was in."
Bryce Young has to be more than a game manager to carry Alabama football
You could tell by Saban’s remarks about Young’s scrimmage performance that he does not want to get too high or too low this early in the offseason program. Young is not going to be asked to throw it as much as Jones did in his second year in Sarkisian’s system. Keep in mind that former Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien replaces Sarkisian, who now leads the Texas Longhorns.
Young will have a bevy of talented tailbacks to hand the ball off to, as well as a strong defense to lean on that came alive in the second half under defensive coordinator Pete Golding. Simply, Saban is entrusting in Young to not be inherently reckless with the football. He cannot tolerate that under any circumstances. However, Young does need to do his share to elevate his Alabama teammates.
Overall, Young has the talent to be the best quarterback in the SEC, but he will have to put in the work to develop it. Signal-callers such as Auburn’s Bo Nix and Georgia’s JT Daniels have ample Power 5 starting experience. Though Young has the potential to be better than both of them, he is the one who hasn’t made a start before in SEC play. As long as he gets ready, Alabama will be fine.
Look for Saban and his staff to take things slow with Young this offseason before fall camp begins.
Next. 25 former players destined to be future head coaches. dark
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.