Nick Saban defends QB Bryce Young's decision-making versus Florida
Alabama head coach Nick Saban responded to criticism of starting quarterback Bryce Young’s late-game decision-making vs. Florida. Saban shared his take on his radio show on Thursday.
“We don’t tell the guy not to run,” Saban said. “We don’t have a third-base coach in football that tells the batter to take, bunt or steal every play. Some of these things are instinctive.
“We can all sit around and say, ‘He should have ran.’ But if the pass would have been completed, nobody would say anything. It would be fine. The only reason there’s any question is it was incomplete.”
The play Saban is referring to occurred in the fourth quarter against the Gators last Saturday:
Up by four points with 10:05 remaining, the Crimson Tide had Second-and-goal from the one-yard line. Redshirt freshman Bryce Young rolled to his right and had the room to run it in for a score.
Instead, he threw it to his running back just past the goal line. The Bama back tipped the ball up and it was almost caught by tight end Cameron Latu in the back corner.
On the next play, running back Jase McClellan was stuffed by the Gator defense, bringing up a crucial fourth and one. Nick Saban opted to go for it but had to settle for a field goal after a false start.
Alabama hung on to beat Florida by two points, but the criticism came anyway.
Saban pleased with young quarterback
So far through the opening three games of the season, starting quarterback Bryce Young has been efficient, throwing for 811 yards, ten touchdowns and no interceptions, completing 68% of his passes.
Saban has been pleased with his young quarterback’s performance in his first season as a starter, especially after Young’s performance the Swamp.
“I think Bryce did a really good job,” Saban told media after the game.“I think he was very composed. It was a difficult circumstance and situation to play in. We clapped some, we went on silent some but I thought he managed the game really well. Made some really, really good decisions, for the most part.
“We did a nice job on third down, which was really important in the game. Made some good reads, guys made some good catches. I thought offensively, other than those three three-and-outs in the second quarter, we did a good job of moving the football.”
The Crimson Tide begin a two-game homestand on Saturday versus Southern Miss. Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels head to Tuscaloosa in Week 5.