ATLANTA – Bryce Young has an opportunity this season to do what eight other Heisman quarterbacks were unable to do – win a second Heisman Trophy. And yet, that’s not really one of his goals.
“We’re just focused on the team and how we can get better in all aspects,” Young said to his media throng at the College Football Hall of Fame. “One of the things I love about being at Alabama is it is all about the team. Individual things come, but only when the team has success. So we try to make sure we are doing everything we can to make that happen.”
Ohio State running back Archie Griffin remains the only player to win a second Heisman, doing so in 1974 and 1975. Eight quarterbacks and one running back (Alabama’s Mark Ingram) have since won a Heisman and returned to college football, but none has repeated as college football’s premier player.
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Young emerged late last season, his first as Alabama’s starter, to take home the trophy after a clutch win at Auburn and a dominating performance in the SEC title game against top-ranked Georgia. He threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns as the Tide sprinted to a 41-24 win against the nation’s No. 1 defense.
Yet it is the rematch against Georgia, the 33-18 loss in the national title game, that Young admits he has watched more of during the offseason rather than his memorable game in Atlanta.
“I think there was more to learn from that game,” he said. “It is not as fun, but that is the game we have analyzed more.”
Three quarterbacks managed to finish No. 3 in the Heisman voting the year after winning it. In 2004, Jason White was third behind junior Matt Leinart and Adrian Peterson. The following season, Leinart was third, losing out to teammate Reggie Bush and Texas QB Vince Young. Finally, Tim Tebow, who won it as a sophomore in 2007, finished third in 2008 behind Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy and then fifth as a senior in 2009.
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Alabama is almost a unanimous preseason No. 1 this season, and Alabama has added two key transfer skill position players in Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton. Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien is also back, and Young says the two of them are often on the same page in terms of play-calling and checking out of plays.
And yet the betting favorite for the 2022 Heisman is Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, while Young is listed second. Part of that is the history of winners failing to repeat, part of that is the bevy of wide receiver weapons Stroud will have, and part of that could be Alabama’s offensive line, which has some question marks.
“Bryce Young is a great player, a great leader, a great quarterback obviously,” said Alabama coach Nick Saban. “But quarterback is also a position that may be one of the most difficult positions in all of sports to play if you're not surrounded by good people. So the challenge for us is to make sure we do an outstanding job of developing the players around him so that we can continue to be a very productive offensive team.”
It’s clear Young will be in the Heisman conversation, as the Tide have a couple of must-see games in the first half of the season. Alabama will visit Texas in Week 2 to face Steve Sarkisian, whom Young said is one of the biggest reasons he is at Alabama. On Oct. 8, there will be the blood feud against Texas A&M. Both games should be among the most highly rated of the season.
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Young says his day-to-day life has not changed since winning the Heisman, and Saban noted the third-year player has been a strong leader in the spring and summer. He does not appear to be a player who will rest on his laurels.
“I think that one of the most important things for Bryce or any player who has success is to understand that success is not a continuum. Success is momentary,” Saban said. “So if you're going to continue to have success, you have to stay focused on the things you need to do to improve, to prepare, to lead, to impact and affect other people around you.
“Bryce has shown every indication that he's got a willingness to do all those things. He's a perfectionist in terms of what he wants to do and what he wants to accomplish.”
