The NCAA was an oyster for a young(er) Bryce Young, an absolute star from Mater Dei High School. The Pasadena, Cali. native had just about every major collegiate program knocking at his door—with offers from the likes of Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, Auburn, UCLA and Miami.
But he ultimately decided to settle into Tuscaloosa, Ala.—thanks, in huge part, to the kid who came before him.
Young spoke with reporters on Wednesday afternoon, just a few days ahead of the Carolina Panthers’ Week 6 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. That matchup will feature his fellow quarterback and fellow University of Alabama product Tua Tagovailoa, whose college success helped Young decide on the Crimson Tide.
“I think as far as my college career, definitely was really big,” he said. “It was a big reason why I went to Alabama. It was a big transition from when he was there—just, what the offense looked like and what they kinda moved to offensively. And it’s flourished since then. And I was a recruit when all that was happening. So, that was a really, really big reason for me being there.”
Tagovailoa attended Alabama from 2017 to 2019—where he picked up a bevy of honors including an All-American nod, an SEC Offensive Player of the Year award and a national title. He would then be selected by the Dolphins with the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft.
Young began his stay in Tuscaloosa in 2020. He’d go on to shine as well—picking up a natty of his own in his first year and becoming the Heisman Trophy winner in the next.
The 2023 first overall pick later added that Sunday will be a fine chance to go throw for throw with his ‘Bama bro.
“And I know Tua,” Young said. “I talked to him throughout the years a good amount of times. And just a really good guy. Really good person. Really cool. And I’ve watched a ton of film on him from ‘Bama on. Have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a person and definitely him as a player. So, it’s definitely a great opportunity to be able to go against him this weekend.”
