Tag: Bryce Young

Early Heisman favorites Bryce Young, Matt Corral are set to dual in Tuscaloosa

Early Heisman favorites Bryce Young and Matt Corral are set to battle it out in an SEC showdown!

There will be a lot at stake this Saturday when No. 12 Ole Miss travels to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 1 Alabama. Not only is it a divisional matchup, but Lane Kiffin will be looking to get the better of his former boss Nick Saban, and the current Heisman favorites Bryce Young and Matt Corral will dual to see if one can separate from the other in the race for the prestigious award.

Young and Corral have separated themselves from some of the other contenders with their spectacular play this season.

In four games Young has completed 72.1% of his passes for 1,124 yards and 15 touchdowns to just one interception. Even with this being his first season as the starter, Young has led a new look Alabama offense like a seasoned vet.

Can Bryce carry the Alabama offense in what most likely will be a shootout in T-Town? If so, this could be his Heisman moment.

Unlike Young, Corral has been around the block a time or two. Corral started playing snaps in college football back in the 2018 season. The 2020 season was his first year as the full-time starter and under new head coach Lane Kiffin, Corral delivered.

Corral has gotten off to a hot start in the 2021 season. Through three games Corral has completed 68.8% of his passes for 997 yards and nine touchdowns with zero interceptions. Corral can also beat you with his legs, amassing 158 yards on the ground and 5 touchdowns.

Just beating Alabama can catapult your standing in the Heisman race, just ask Johnny Manziel.

All the ingredients are there for a spectacular offensive display between two of the best quarterbacks in the entire country. Let’s see who can rise up and lead his team to a victory, and in doing so, take control of the Heisman race!

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for all the latest on the Crimson Tide!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

 

Alabama football: Grading Alabama’s commanding win over Southern Miss

Here’s our final grade for Alabama’s commanding victory over Southern Miss!

No. 1 Alabama dominated its inferior opponent in Southern Miss on Saturday night with a 63-14 victory. Alabama was able to control all three phases of the game and provided its most complete performance of the season.

Each week we give a grade out for all three phases of the game, let’s see how the team did this week!

OFFENSE: A+

Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports

The Alabama offense, led by Bryce Young put together its most balanced performance of the season. The lack of a consistent running game through the first three games of the season had started to become a cause of concern for this team. Even though Southern Miss doesn’t have the type of players Alabama will face in the SEC, it was nice to see the offensive line open up holes for the backs and the backs make some explosive plays in the run game.

Roydell Williams led all rushers with 110 yards on 11 carries for an average of 10 yards per carry. Williams also had a run of 55 yards in the first half. Jase McClellan added another 98 yards on the ground, which included a long of 27.

Bryce Young displayed his pinpoint accuracy going 20-22 passing for 313 yards and 5 touchdowns. Junior tight end Jahleel Billingsley showed off his talents by catching 5 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown.

Alabama was able to play several young players late in the contest. True freshman quarterback Jalen Milroe was able to record his first career touchdown pass on Saturday night with a 24-yard rope to Javon Baker.

The Alabama offense seems to be finding its groove at just the right time!

DEFENSE: A-

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Like the offense, the Alabama defense put together a much-needed consistent performance. The 14 points allowed are a little more than most fans would have wanted, but the Tide defense gave up just over 200 yards to the Golden Eagles and just 3.7 yards per play.

The defensive line had its best performance of the season and some depth may have been discovered in players such as Jamil Burroughs and LaBryan Ray.

Will Anderson continues to dominate racking up three tackles for loss and one sack.

The Tide defense will need to bring its best effort next Saturday against Lane Kiffin and the high-powered Ole Miss offense.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A+

Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports

Not much to say here, Jameson Williams returned two kickoffs for a touchdown. Anytime you put points on the board from one of the special team’s units, things are going pretty well.

Nick Saban and special teams coordinator Drew Svoboda have to be pleased with the efforts of the special team units so far this season.

OVERALL: A-

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Although the opponent was not the best, the Tide delivered its most complete performance of the season. Both sides of the ball handled the line of scrimmage and the skill position players made plays.

We got a taste of how good this Alabama team could be, let’s see if they can build off this week’s performance and rise to the occasion against a talented Ole Miss team.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for all the latest on the Crimson Tide!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

What we learned from Alabama’s decisive win over Southern Miss

Alabama was able to easily handle Southern Miss on Saturday. Here is what we learned from the Tide’s dominating performance!

No. 1 Alabama easily handled the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on Saturday night 63-14.

After last week’s performance against the Gators, there were several questions that were raised. While you can’t say the team completely answered those questions, Alabama played their best overall game of the season and competed for the entire contest.

Let’s take a look at few things we learned from today’s matchup!

WATCH: Bryce Young drops beautifully-placed pass for 16-yard TD

Bryce Young continues to prove why he is QB1!

Alabama’s offense has only touched the field once, but they are now up 14 over Southern Miss thanks to a 100-yard kick return on the opening kickoff by Jameson Williams.

Bryce Young in his first drive of the night completed all five of his passing attempts for 51 yards and one touchdown.

In the final play of the Drive, Young throws a perfect pass that falls perfectly into the arms of tight end Jahleel Billingsley in the corner of the end zone.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to cover the Crimson Tide as they take on Southern Miss.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

USA TODAY ranks top college QBs. Where is Bryce Young?

USA Today Sports released a ranking of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Find out where he ranked here.

Another year, another elite signal-caller in the huddle for Alabama.

Lately, top quarterbacks there have become synonymous with the Crimson Tide. The position has certainly usurped top running backs and elite defensive units as being labeled the primary difference-maker for the team. You might as well take a step back, Oklahoma Sooners.

One could say that the change happened as Jalen Hurts began coming into his own as a shifty dual-threat quarterback. Others might assert that it began with Tua Tagovailoa’s infamous 2nd & 26 against Georgia in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

In a string of elite quarterbacks, we have gone from Hurts, to Tagovailoa, to Mac Jones and now Young at the helm. The former three now have careers in the NFL with the Eagles, Dolphins, and Patriots, respectively. As things are looking now, Young is considered one of the top pro prospects in the 2023 draft.

In a weekly Top-10 ranking compiled by USA TODAY Sports, Young was ranked the No. 1 QB in the country for Week 3, just ahead of Ole Miss’ Matt Corral at No. 2 and Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder at No. 3.

Young has yet to throw an interception this year while tossing 10 touchdown passes and averaging 8.1 yards per throw. He has a total of 811 yards through the air, at an average of 270.3 yards per game. Young is completing passes at a rate of 68% on the year, displaying sound accuracy.

The nation will continue to watch as Young develops in awe and anger, alike, pontificating on the fact that Alabama has yet another top field general at the helm of the offense, wondering when their team might be so lucky.

Truth is, luck is not involved, unless a portrait of Nick Saban and his amazing recruiters appear in the dictionary next to the word. I just checked, it is not. Otherwise, it’s just great recruiting.

Alabama is set to play Southern Miss on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. Here’s more information on how you can watch, stream and listen to the game.

View the Roll Tide Wire staff predictions right here ahead of the matchup.

While watching, you can reference this guide on the key issues plaguing the Tide through three weeks of the season.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Layne Gerbig on Twitter @LayneG_29

Heisman Trophy odds: Why Ole Miss’ Matt Corral is the newest favorite in Week 4

Matt Corral put on a show last week, and now he’s the Heisman favorite.

Going into Week 4 of the college football season, the Heisman Trophy favorites look awfully different compared with the start a few weeks ago, when some players got the benefit of the doubt because of the powerhouse teams they play for.

Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler started the season as the 2021 Heisman favorite, while fellow quarterbacks D.J. Uiagalelei (Clemson), Bryce Young (Alabama) and C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) were right up there with him. But in recent years, it’s incredibly rare for the Heisman favorite in Week 1 to end up winning it all, and, according to Tipico Sportsbook, it looks like Rattler’s potential to be an exception is fading.

Through the first few weeks of the season, it didn’t take long for Young to jump to the top as the Heisman favorite, and between his arm and the Crimson Tide’s arsenal of receivers, it made sense.

Stream live college football games every week this season from conferences across the country on ESPN+.

But now, headed into Week 4, there’s a new leader for college football’s most coveted individual trophy, and it’s Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, who started the season at +2000.

Through the first three games this season, the junior quarterback has thrown for a total of 997 yards and nine touchdowns and has a 68.8 completion percentage. He has the fifth-best passer rating in the nation right now, and he’s also added 158 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. And he hasn’t thrown an interception yet and is averaging two sacks a game.

Most recently, Corral put on a show with video game-like stats in Week 3 in Ole Miss’ 61-21 win over Tulane, and that’s surely a huge reason why Tipico has him as the Heisman favorite going into Week 4.

Against the Green Wave, he had a 74.2 completion percentage while throwing for 335 yards, and he was responsible for seven (7!!) touchdowns — three in the air and four more on the ground, which was a first in SEC history.

He’s an electric player and can absolutely sling it.

Ole Miss has a bye, so it’s unclear if he’ll remain the favorite after not playing this weekend. And an explosive performance from someone like Young — whose No. 1 Alabama team takes on Southern Miss on Saturday — could obviously change that.

But going into Week 4, here’s a look at the latest 2021 Heisman Trophy favorites, according to Tipico Sportsbook as of Friday.

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Alabama TE Cameron Latu speaks on his contributions, relationship with Jahleel Billingsley

Cameron Latu recently participated in a Q&A with the press. The Alabama tight end had a lot to say!

Alabama tight end Cameron Latu caught two passes for 19 yards against Florida on Saturday, and according to him, he’s just happy to be in a position to contribute in Bill O’Brien’s offense.

“It’s been great,” Latu said of his start to the season. “I know these last few years transitioning to tight end from outside linebacker has been a journey, and finally being out there and contributing to help the team has been a blast. I just know I’ve been working hard for it.”

Through the first quarter of the season, Latu has caught a total of five passes for 62 yards, finding the end zone twice. He’s proven to be an efficient option in the red zone.

Latu, now in his fourth season with the Tide, third at tight end, had to wait his turn behind guys like Miller Forristall at the tight end position. He gave an idea on how he managed to keep a level head sitting behind other tight ends on the depth chart.

“The best advice was just to keep my head down and work,” Latu said. “Nothing else matters besides your development as a player and to help the team grow. Put the team first and everything else will just fall in place. Be consistent, as well.”

The tight ends for the Crimson Tide, as a cohesive unit, haven’t been the most targeted group on the field. Bryce Young doesn’t seem, as of yet, too willing to throw to tight ends on a consistent basis. Jahleel Billingsley was finally able to score after catching a touchdown pass from Young on Saturday against Florida He had issues off-the-field to straighten up before being able to contribute in a meaningful way.

Latu made a candid statement regarding Billingsley during his Q&A.

“One thing I expect from him is to make a lot more plays,” Latu said. “He’s a very useful weapon for our offense, and I love playing beside him, and he’s going to help our team a lot.”

When asked about the Southern Miss defense, Latu gave an assessment.

“Watching them, they have a lot of movement up front,” Latu said. “They’re a good run defense, so we just have to adjust to sticking to our fundamentals and our technique and our rules just to keep our eyes open for how they move a lot up front. So just adjust to that.”

Alabama is a heavy favorite going into the game against the Golden Eagles this Saturday. The Crimson Tide will look to polish up some fine details and attempt to establish a balanced gameplan.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire to remain updated on everything Alabama!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Layne Gerbig on Twitter @LayneG_29

Nick Saban speaks on Alabama QB Bryce Young’s decision-making abilities

Nick Saban comments on Bryce Young’s abilities after a questionable move against the Gators.

Alabama starting quarterback Bryce Young is only a true sophomore, which has led many in the college football community to question whether he has what it takes to make quick, crucial decisions in-game.

In the Crimson Tide’s most recent contest on the road against the Florida Gators, Young had an opportunity to easily run the ball into the end zone, as he was only a few yards away. However, he decided to try and throw a lob pass to tight end Cameron Latu, who caught the pass, but landed out of bounds.

That rushing touchdown likely would have sealed the fate of the game minutes before the game clock hit zero. It ultimately didn’t matter, as Alabama won by two points anyway.

The aforementioned poor decision was a catalyst that has led many to question his decision-making abilities this past week.

Today, Nick Saban met with the media and addressed the masses’ qualms.

It’s important to note that not only is this his first season as the Alabama starting quarterback, but in his nine appearances from last season as Mac Jones’ backup, all contests were played with limited, or no fans altogether.

His first SEC contest on the road was a packed top-15 matchup in The Swamp. Can you blame him for being a bit nervous and making a minor mistake or two?

Saban certainly doesn’t seem worried and has full faith in Young.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to cover the Crimson Tide and Bryce Young as the 2021 college football season progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Alabama Football: 5 key issues to monitor heading into Week 4

Here’s what the Crimson Tide need to fix before playing Southern Miss!

The Crimson Tide departed from Gainesville, Florida on Saturday, with a 32-29 victory over the Gators and brought back the third win of the season with them to Tuscaloosa. After a mediocre performance, when compared to a usual Alabama football showing, we must keep a mental note of areas that can be improved. Below, I have done just that to eliminate the guesswork for you. Let me preface this by saying that there is still a lot of football to be played this year, and many of these issues can be polished up and addressed in practice. The sky isn’t falling, yet, but here are some things that should be looked at heading into Week 4: