ATLANTA – The last to step out of the jubilant dressing room in Alabama, Nick Saban walked slowly out of the hallways of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and nodded like a proud father.
Proud of his team. Proud of how his team has fought to get to this point despite some not-so-Alabama moments this season. Proud of how his team has rallied around a sophomore quarterback who could also have won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.
Bryce Young that’s good, ready and active in the 41-24 SECOND championship game of Alabama dissecting No. 1 Georgia.
Even for Saban, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Young is only a sophomore and only in his first year as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback after playing as a reserve for Mac Jones. A year ago.
“He’s very calm, has a high sense of determination about what he’s doing, doesn’t get frustrated easily but doesn’t get too excited either,” Saban told ESPN. “It’s a rare combination, especially for a guy in his first year playing and defending as well as Georgia.
“But that’s the way he’s always been, and it doesn’t really matter who we’re playing against or what the situation is. The other thing is he’s prepared very well for the game, every game and that’s it. That kind of thing wears out other people. I think you saw that tonight.”
So did the rest of the college football world, as Young burned through the supposedly untouchable Georgia defense. He passed 421 yards and three touchdowns and also ran to score. His 461-yard fouls total set an SEC championship game record.
Coach Georgia Kirby Smart has been a believer. But there’s something to be said about watching a Heisman-like performance from the sidelines and seeing someone do to your defense something no one else has come close to doing over the course of the season.
“Look, guys, I’ve seen a lot of good guys in this league. He’s special,” Smart said of Young, who hasn’t been fired once after being fired seven times a week ago. in 24-22 four- overtime win over Auburn.
And, sure enough, Smart watched the tape, and Georgia did a number of different things to pressure Young. But little seems to be working, as Young, his receivers and his offensive line have had the best of the seven Georgia fronts that are dominating everyone this season.
“We made a lot of calls just like the other games,” said Smart, whose guard gave up four touchdowns against Alabama after allowing only seven in the previous 12 games.
“We don’t go home or finish in midfield, and he’s very good at giving the ball to the players. He knows where to go. Not doing it. They will look at the ball. rushed and started trying to run away from the rush and we were able to take them down. But tonight he did a great job. He was maneuverable and did a lot of stunts.”
But, then that’s what Young has been up to all season, be it his 28-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Corey Brooks to force overtime last week against Auburn or even the There have been times this season when Alabama has come in on the attack and he’s done just enough.
“It’s never been too big for him, and he’s like that about other people having to line up even when we get stuck,” Saban said.
Young, who has unleashed 43 touchdown passes and just four interceptions this season, was mostly nonchalant on Saturday when asked about whatever he did to lead Alabama to the championship. SEC sixth in the past eight years. He was more eager to talk about his teammates.
“I think we all stepped up, and we all answered the bell,” Young said. “We all understand what’s at stake. We all understand that we need to step up. So I’m lucky to have teammates like me, that when we lean back. into the wall, we understand… we had to get our spark and start moving.
“I’m glad we started going when we did.”
Young took a 24 point lead in the second quarter for the Crimson Tide with big game after big, whether he hit deep balls with pinpoint accuracy, scrambled and made plays. with your feet or even flip the optional throws to Brian Robinson Jr. in the open field.
“He’s matured a lot and has a knack for taking those shots, but what’s really impressive is that he’s not careless and takes care of the football,” said Saban.
Even if Young fumbled for the ball once on Saturday after taking off and running, he was able to win it back from a Georgia defender. Young also lost one of his top receivers, John Metchie III, in the first half, what Alabama officials feared was a torn ACL. But it doesn’t really matter. Jameson Williams finished with seven catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
Alabama has differentiated the Georgia sub-team with big plays, and Saban says a lot of the credit goes to an offensive line that landed it in the chin a week ago against Auburn and back with something to prove.
“It still went back to the attack that did a very, very good job of allowing us to get the ball down the pitch and our receiver to be able to work in the passing game, which we knew would be what’s really important in this game,” Saban said. “So it really starts from the front.”
A longtime defensive coordinator told ESPN that the way Alabama put Young in a position to find holes in the Georgia defence is something no one has yet been able to do with the Dawgs this season.
“Doug Marrone (offensive line coach) and Bill O’Brien (offensive coordinator) showed their value tonight, the value of having experience in the NFL,” said the defensive coordinator. . “They know where the lightning is coming from, redefining protection and blocking pressures.
“(Young) was very well taught. When Georgia lined up, he knew where the games were and attacked Georgia in a way no one else has this year.”
And while the rest of the country may not see Alabama beating Georgia coming, Young doesn’t appear too surprised by it.
“As a player, we always have faith and trust in the coaching staff,” said Young. “So for us, I don’t think we’ve ever really blinked or wavered.”
With Metchie injured, Alabama must dive deeper into its depth chart, particularly at the receiver, and will have to do so again in the College Rugby Round with Metchie having lost the season. .
But as Saban pointed out, there’s the added value of having a player like Young who makes everyone around him better.
“… A good quarterback can make the receivers look better, and those guys have to run good routes and do things the right way to get ventilation,” says Saban. “But I think his belief, his trust, and his trust in those people has been a big help to their growth.”
And given the way Young has grown, the best may yet be to come this season for Alabama.
Not to mention the first Heisman Trophy for a quarerback in Alabama.
