Alabama quarterback Bryce Young on his pre-snap reads, preparation

When you watch Alabama quarterback Bryce Young run what has so far been a near flawless Crimson Tide offense, a lot of work went into even getting to that point before the play actually starts. 

On Monday, Young spoke with the media about what it takes to have success at the quarterback position prior to the snap. 

“A lot of preparation,” Young said. “I think that’s a really big thing. We have a tremendous staff that does a great job of talking to us and making sure that we’re on the same page from cut ups to coverage breakdown and blitz breakdown, that stuff that we’re able to get from our great staff.”

While the Alabama coaching staff sees a lot of turnover every year, the offensive coaches always seem to pick up where their predecessors left off. New Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien’s squad is averaging 46 points and 462.5 yards per game. 

“And then really just really put the time in and pick up on stuff before the game comes,” Young added. “You have to watch film, you have to look into the small details of that film and really consume as much of it as you can. Then after that, you rely on your rules and your coaching that you’ve heard from preseason to during the week when it comes to play-by-play and different things you’re looking for.”

After two games, Young has gone 46-for-65 for 571 yards, seven touchdowns and zero interceptions with a passer rating of 180.1. In his Alabama debut, he threw a school-record four touchdown passes for a starting debut.

Young’s poise in the pocket is already impressing in Tuscaloosa

Young recently emphasized the need to stay calm and controlled in the pocket, and he will need to put that thought into practice when Alabama heads to play in a raucous environment at Florida on Saturday afternoon. 

“Yeah, that’s always important when you go into a hostile environment like we’re going to go into this weekend,” Young said to reporters on Monday. “We know the environment we’re going to go into. We know the challenges ahead of us. Us all as an offense and as a team being on the same page is going to be really big for us. We have to make sure we’re communicating well.”

Alabama head coach Nick Saban is already impressed with his inexperienced quarterback’s ability to shift the pocket as needed. Young will need to move the pocket to evade the Gators’ pass rush this weekend. They have seven sacks on the year. 

“I think he’s got a really good feel in the pocket or moving in the pocket and sort of moving away from the rush,” Saban said Monday. 

The No. 1 Alabama and No. 11 Florida matchup is one of the marquee Week 3 showdowns. The game starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, and Alabama is a 15-point favorite.

On3’s Jonathan Wagner contributed to this report.