Since 2010, there have been six freshman quarterbacks to receive high praise and recognition nation-wide. Nick Saban and Alabama may have the seventh on their roster for the 2020 season.
Bryce Young is about to begin his first season with the Crimson Tide. The five-star, No. 1 ranked dual-threat quarterback is native to California and flipped to Alabama after having initially committed to USC.
With Tua Tagovailoa forgoing his senior season to declare for the NFL draft, Coach Saban is tasked with finding Tua’s successor.
The expected starter for the 2020 season is redshirt-junior Mac Jones. A former three-star from Florida, Jones played under Jalen Hurts and Tua which has allowed him to slowly climb the depth chart.
Young, however, has stirred up discussions over a quarterback competition ever since he announced his commitment to Alabama.
He has made quite a name for himself in high school at Mater Dei in Pasadena. In four years he tallied 13,250 passing yards and 152 passing touchdowns. He also earned the title of top-ranked dual-threat quarterback. He ran for 1,084 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
There’s a common argument that’s made which claims Young is a true freshman. This insists he lacks experience and skills of an older quarterback.
Being young may mean the coach has to spend a little bit more time molding, but it certainly hasn’t stopped others from climbing the ladder to national stardom as a freshman.
Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston were both redshirt freshman when the spotlight landed on them in their respective years. Manziel won the Heisman at Texas A&M in 2012, and Winston won the award in 2013 at FSU to become the youngest to ever hoist the Heisman trophy.
There wasn’t another freshman quarterback star until 2016, where there would be four true freshmen in the National Championship in three consecutive years.
The idea isn’t new to the Crimson Tide fanbase. Jalen Hurts, a true freshman, helped guide Alabama to a Peach Bowl win and a National Championship appearance in 2016.
Young would not be the first true freshman dual-threat quarterback to start at Alabama. Hurts, a former four-star dual threat quarterback made it easy for fans to marvel over how different of a quarterback he was. He threw for 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns to go along with nine interceptions. He also ran for 954 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Two new stars emerged from the 2017 National Championship.
Georgia’s starting quarterback was Jake Fromm, the former four-star who decided to stay in-state to play. Georgia had a healthy 13-0 lead and looked like they were on pace to have a national title.
The Bulldogs ended up leaving the game empty handed after then-sophomore Hurts had been pulled from the game and replaced by true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Both, Fromm and Tagovailoa had an impressive game that ultimately led to successful collegiate careers and spots on NFL rosters.
One season later, Alabama is back in the National Championship game. This time against a Clemson team led by true freshman Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence got the win over Alabama in impressive fashion and helped the Tigers become first team to have an undefeated season paired with a College Football Playoff win.
Coach Saban and Alabama have faced three of the aforementioned quarterbacks in their freshman seasons, and lost to two of them. Bryce Young starting in 2020 is a legitimate possibility. If one coach knows something about how special true freshman can be, it’s Nick Saban.
Though Mac Jones will likely earn the starting job for the season-opening game in Dallas vs. USC, be on the lookout for Young’s opportunities early in the season to propel himself to the top of college football.
Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on Bryce Young and his journey through his freshman year.