Bryce Young encourages current Alabama players to trust the process of replacing Nick Saban
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban made the surprising decision to retire earlier this week, leading to speculation that the Crimson Tide program will now take a step back. However, former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young believes that if current players trust the process, the run of greatness can continue.
The former Heisman trophy spoke with fellow former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy on the Always College Football podcast recently and shared his message to current players in the Crimson Tide program.
“Just to trust the process and know that obviously coach Saban has been there for so long and it’s going to be weird, it’s going to be different without him there,” Bryce Young said. “But through all of that, he’s built a culture and built a machine that obviously is capable of continuing and running past that.”
Nick Saban won six national championships and nine SEC titles during his time at Alabama. It’s a run that is arguably the greatest in college football history.
With that said, if the players stay together and leaders step up, Young believes Alabama can continue to win at a high level.
“Coach Saban said it all the time – if he has to be the disciplinarian, he has to be the one that’s yelling at us, he has to be the one reminding us of what we’re doing and what the standard is, it’s not going to be a good team,” Bryce Young said.
“Ultimately, he does all of that just to show the leaders and the guys that are there to enforce it what the standard is. He’s always believed in a player-led team. He’s always believed in it being about the people there, and that’s something that doesn’t have to change. So just to trust and believe in that.”
Tua Tagovailoa reacts to Nick Saban retirement during Hard Knocks filming
Fellow former Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa couldn’t believe it when Nick Saban retired. In fact, the Miami Dolphins quarterback found out about his former Alabama coach while filming the in-season Hard Knocks.
Saban’s retirement sent shockwaves across college football. While there were rumblings that this could be it, it still came as a surprise this week.
You can see Tagovailoa’s reaction below in the video from Hard Knocks.
In three seasons at Alabama, Tagovailoa had 7,442 yards, 87 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 69.3% completion percentage under Saban. He won the national title as a freshman when he subbed in for Jalen Hurts after halftime, beating Georgia.
Of course, Tagovailoa went on to become a first round pick by the Miami Dolphins. Now in his fourth season, the former Saban product is in the midst of a career year.
He has 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and a 69.3% completion percentage. The Dolphins are the No. 6 seed in the AFC with an 11-6 record and take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round Saturday.