Bryce Young: The next emerging star QB for Alabama

Alabama’s last three starting quarterbacks will start Week One of the NFL season next week. That list includes two first-round picks, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones, and former second-round pick Jalen Hurts.

Before too long, the Crimson Tide’s current starter could be joining them.

On Saturday afternoon, former five-star prospect Bryce Young put on an absolute clinic against the Miami Hurricanes during the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Ga. In fact, he was one of the main factors in the team’s lopsided 44-13 victory.

The sophomore signal caller completed 27 of his 38 pass attempts (71.1 percent) for 344 yards, four scores and no interceptions. He did turn the ball over on a sack-fumble in the second half, but a lack of protection was the main culprit behind the miscue.

Young’s four touchdown passes made for more than just a “good” performance too. It was the first time in Alabama history a player threw four or more touchdowns in a starting debut. The previous record holders? Mac Jones and Joe Namath with three.

Yes, there were a few that throws Young would probably want back, if given the opportunity. His decision-making and overall play wasn’t perfect, but it’s hard to argue that it was awfully close. And that’s all you can really ask against a top-15 team in his first career start.

Young displayed plenty of traits you’d want from a starting quarterback. He was calm in the face of pressure, alluding defenders on multiple occasions and finding open receivers with relative ease. He handled all the pre-snap adjustments with his protection, and was quite effective at it.

When asked about his latest star signal caller, Alabama coach Nick Saban had plenty of good things to say.

“I think Bryce did really, really well,” Saban told reporters following the game. “You know, he’s smart. Most people just look at the stats and say he was whatever he was, for whatever he was for this many yards. But, you know, he redirects the protection, he plays like a veteran out there. And, you know, we had the one, you know, sack fumble which was something that we don’t really want to have. But, really, not all his fault that he doesn’t get protected.

“But I was really impressed with the way he played in the game, the poise that he played with, the command that he had. He kind of took what the defense gave. And really directed the offense in a really positive way. And when we had opportunities to make plays on third down and a couple other explosive plays, he certainly did a great job in getting the ball to the right guy in the right time in the right place. So I was really pleased.”

Quite the praise, right?

For anyone who watched the game, that praise is warranted.

At only 6-foot, 194-pounds, size will always be a knock on the California native. But he finds ways compensate and overcome those size deficiencies, and the end result is another dynamic gunslinger at the position for the Tide.

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