Bucky Brooks, an analyst for NFL Network, has the best analogy for quarterbacks.
“Truck or trailer” is his gauge on players.
The truck is a quarterback carrying the team. The position does all the heavy lifting, makes all the big plays, overcompensates for inconsistencies, and must come up huge in critical moments. The trailer, on the other hand, is a quarterback carried by the team.
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In replacing Mac Jones as Alabama’s quarterback, Bryce Young is a truck.
The Crimson Tide lost Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Landon Dickerson, Deonte Brown, and Alex Leatherwood to the National Football League. Young has dealt with new leaders at running back, wide receiver, and new starters on the offensive line. Steve Sarkisian recruited him from California, but the sophomore has adjusted to a new offensive coordinator. The Tide has made some changes up front, lost three running backs to injuries, and has had inconsistent moments on offense.
Despite this, Young has Alabama ranked third nationally for scoring offense (44.6 ppg), tenth for total offense (484.7 ypg), four for pass efficiency offense (178.05), first for third-down efficiency offense (56.6 percent), and sixth for red-zone offense (94 percent).
As a former five-star prospect, Young is rising on Alabama’s single-season record books.
He is sixth all-time for passing yards (3,025), tied for third in touchdown passes (33), and tied for fourth in total scores (35). Since 2013, he’s added his name with AJ McCarron, Blake Sims, Jacob Coker, Tua Tagovailoa, and Mac Jones as the sixth 3,000-yard passer of the Nick Saban era.
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He’s had less than Tagovailoa and Jones, but Young has produced. The second-year player has five games with a quarterback rating of 90 or higher, seven games with a completion percentage of 70 or higher, six games with 300+ passing yards, and seven games with 3+ touchdown passes. Young has two games — Southern Mississippi and New Mexico State — with five scoring tosses, tying him for second all-time in school history (single game).
On a national scale, his statistics are just as impressive.
Bryce Young’s stats among national ranks for QBs
-70.9% completion percentage, 7th in the nation
-33 touchdown passes, third in the nation
-180.1 passer rating, third in the nation
-86.9 total quarterback rating, third in the nation
*Young’s output for passing yards is outside the top-10 at No. 12.
He has commanded the offense well all season.
The 6-foot, 194-pounder could win the Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, and Manning awards for his efforts. Young is the leader in the Heisman Trophy race and looks to bring the Crimson Tide its first Heisman-winning quarterback.
He could have one of the top passing seasons for an Alabama quarterback when the campaign is done.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
