Spring Preview: Depth and Inexperience Alabama's Biggest Concerns at Quarterback
- Returning: Bryce Young; Paul Tyson
- Early enrollee: Jalen Milroe
- Departed: Mac Jones
- Incoming: None
One of the few drawbacks to having an SEC-only schedule, and Alabama’s national-championship run last season, was that it didn’t give Nick Saban much of an opportunity to develop some quarterback depth.
Bryce Young arrived as one of the most heralded prospects in the nation, to the point that some thought he had the potential to start (until spring practices were canceled). As a true freshman he backed up Mac Jones during his prolific season, which included winning the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s most outstanding quarterback.
Young only played briefly in nine games, and finished 13 of 22 for 156 yards and a touchdown during his initial season.
Moreover, the Crimson Tide will go into the 2021 season with no experience among backups either, with Paul Tyson and early enrollee Jalen Milroe competing behind Young, along with walk-ons Braxton Barker and Jayden George.
But there's a reason why Jones gave Young the game ball from the national championship game.
As a recruit, Young was named Offensive MVP of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, plus the All-American Bowl Player of the Year. Other accolades included the 2019 High School Quarterback of the Year by the National Quarterback Club and the Maxwell Offensive Player of the Year. He shared the MaxPreps Player of the Year and was named to the Sports Illustrated inaugural high school All-American team.
So the expectations for him aren't just high, but Tua Tagovailoa high.
Tyson, the great grandson of Paul W. "Bear" Bryant, has appeared in a game, but has yet to attempt a pass.
Even though Milroe is still getting acclimated to college life during a pandemic, he has to get up to speed as much as possible this spring That includes not only learning the playbook but earning the trust of his new teammates.
“We had Jalen in camp way back when and we really liked his skill set,” Nick Saban said. “He’s really athletic. He’s really accurate as a passer. He’s got a strong arm. He’s got a really good disposition about himself as a leader and a great personality that I think people can sort of follow. And we’re excited to have him here.”
But he’s not the wild card to this group. It's their position coach. With Steve Sarkisian having been hired away to run the program at Texas, Saban has yet another offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with Bill O’Brien.
It's been 10 years since he was an offensive coordinator, for Saban's friend Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots in 2011, before becoming a head coach. However, O'Brien does have extensive experience at both the collegiate and NFL levels, which Saban prefers for his coordinators.
“If you look at Bill O’Brien’s track record, he was a really successful college coach,” Saban said. “He was a really good coordinator in New England when he was an offensive coordinator for the Patriots. He did a tremendous job when he was the head coach at Penn State in one of the most difficult circumstances that anybody could ever be in after the Joe Paterno deal. And he did a really good job in Houston in terms of I think they went to the playoffs three or four years.
“So you’re talking about a guy that has a really good track record in terms of whatever his responsibility has been, and he’s someone I’ve always had a tremendous about of respect for. So we felt very fortunate that the timing of the situation allowed us to hire someone like that.
“I think it’s a great addition to our staff here.”
2021 Crimson Tide Spring Practices
This is the first story in a series previewing Alabama’s spring football practices, which get under way March 19.
