Alabama football will have another player in the Heisman race in 2021
There have been three Heisman winners in Alabama football history, and all of them have been in the Nick Saban era. Bryce Young will be looking to be the Tide’s first quarterback to win the award, and he has a solid chance to do just that.
As long as Alabama is competing to win national championships, they will have at least one player in the Heisman discussion. Alabama’s offense in recent years has produced plenty of Heisman contenders, and it doesn’t hurt that they are in the spotlight every Saturday.
Quarterbacks always receive preference from Heisman voters, but what sets Young apart from other Alabama football quarterbacks? For one, he has a dual-threat ability that few have. This will give him options in 2021, and it will also give him an opportunity to pad his stats. With plenty of highlight plays to be made, Young will do enough to generate hype and buzz this season.
Add in Alabama’s schedule, and Young’s Heisman hopes feel cemented. He will get a chance to prove himself against Miami early in the year. Alabama will also play against Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M and Florida. With these solid defenses, Young will have to play well if Alabama wants to go undefeated.
If Alabama wins their division, Young and the Tide will have one last chance in the SEC Championship. This will likely be a game against a CFP contender, so watch out for a Heisman moment to end conference play.
While Alabama has other players who could contend for the Heisman, Young is the clear favorite on the team. With a deep stable of running backs, no single option will get enough touches to win the award. John Metchie has elite traits as a receiver, but it was rare enough for DeVonta Smith to win the Heisman Trophy. We won’t see that again any time soon.
Both of Alabama’s last two starting quarterbacks were Heisman finalists, and Jalen Hurts was also one with Oklahoma. It is becoming the norm for Alabama football to send their quarterback to New York for the Heisman, and Bryce Young will continue this trend. We’ll see if he wins the Heisman, but he should at least be in the conversation at the end of the year.