Bryce Young returns to Alabama to mentor Crimson Tide quarterbacks throughout the offseason, providing them with leadership skills and NFL experience.

When Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner and former No. 1 overall pick, strolled back onto the University of Alabama’s Bryant–Denny Stadium practice field this spring, it wasn’t merely a nostalgic homecoming. It marked the beginning of a concerted effort by one of the nation’s most decorated quarterbacks to give back to the program that shaped his collegiate legacy. Having navigated the peaks of college football glory and the valleys of an NFL rookie campaign, Young is uniquely positioned to mentor the next wave of Crimson Tide signal-callers. By sharing the leadership acumen and pro-level insights he’s acquired in Carolina, Young aims to accelerate the development of Alabama’s young quarterbacks, ensuring the Tide’s continued excellence under center.

Young’s credentials as a mentor are rooted in an illustrious Alabama tenure that featured a national championship in 2020, a school-record 559 passing yards in a single game, and a sweep of college football’s top awards in 2021. Beyond the statistics, ESPN chronicled Young’s “uncanny poise” and mental resilience—traits honed under the guidance of his parents, both educators in special education and mental health, and a grandfather who was a psychologist—highlighting how his background in psychology has become as valuable as his on-field prowess . This blend of emotional intelligence and competitive fire now forms the foundation of his mentoring curriculum.

Transitioning to the NFL presented Young with challenges that tested his confidence and forced growth. After a “nightmarish rookie season” marked by the Panthers oscillating between rebuilding and contention, Young emerged with renewed determination to refine his craft and master the nuances of professional play . Carolina’s voluntary OTAs, where he initially worked behind veteran Andy Dalton, offered a crash course in pro-style offense, game preparation, and locker-room leadership—elements he’s now distilling for Alabama’s quarterbacks during spring workouts and one-on-one sessions . His firsthand experience with adverse circumstances equips him to empathize with and guide collegiate players facing the pressure cooker of SEC play.

Alabama’s current quarterback room features a blend of experience and raw talent. Jalen Milroe, who succeeded Young in 2023, has earned praise from his former teammate for his locker-room presence and competitive drive. Young’s recent comments on Milroe’s leadership—“He’s someone that commands a locker room, that commands a team”—underscore the importance of intangible qualities that separate good quarterbacks from great ones . By reinforcing these traits through film study sessions, leadership workshops, and shared practice drills, Young helps bridge the gap between collegiate athleticism and professional expectation.

Perhaps the most compelling elements of Young’s mentorship lie in his ability to translate NFL training habits to the college environment. He has introduced the Crimson Tide quarterbacks to Carolina Panthers’ offseason regimen—emphasizing proper nutrition, film breakdown techniques, and situational awareness drills that replicate NFL game speed . In position meetings held at Tuscaloosa’s Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility, Young leverages digital playbook software identical to that used in the pros, challenging quarterbacks to diagnose coverages and adjust protections on the fly. This exposure to pro-level preparation has already yielded dividends in spring camp, where Alabama’s quarterbacks demonstrated quicker reads and more precise timing.

Young’s influence extends beyond physical preparation; he is instilling a professional mindset that emphasizes accountability and continuous improvement. Drawing on his academic background in psychology, Young leads group discussions on handling adversity—whether it’s a baffling defensive scheme or the scrutiny of the media. He organizes “resilience circles” where quarterbacks share setbacks from practice or games, then collaboratively devise solutions, fostering a culture of mutual support that mirrors NFL locker-room dynamics . As a result, Alabama’s quarterback candidates are learning not just how to throw with accuracy, but also how to process pressure and return stronger.

Among the beneficiaries of Young’s tutelage is redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson, who served as Young’s backup during the 2022 season before appearing sparingly in games . Simpson has credited Young with elevating his understanding of pre-snap reads and improving his footwork through targeted drills designed by Young and assisted by Panthers’ quarterback coaches. Under Young’s guidance, Simpson and others pepper Young with questions about NFL huddle cadence, audible calls, and post-snap adjustments—knowledge that was once guarded behind the professional curtain but now freely shared in practice fields of Tuscaloosa.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer has publicly applauded Young’s offseason commitment, noting that the partnership “adds a layer of pro-level sophistication to our quarterback development that is impossible to replicate otherwise” . DeBoer, who oversaw Young’s recruitment as a high school phenom, emphasizes that Young’s return is as much about cultural leadership as technical instruction. “Bryce embodies what it means to be a quarterback at Alabama,” DeBoer said. “His work ethic sets a standard for our entire program, and our young QBs are soaking it up.”

As the Crimson Tide march toward the 2025 season, the imprint of Bryce Young’s mentorship will be measurable not only in yardage and touchdown totals but also in the resilience and composure of Alabama’s quarterbacks. By fusing his collegiate glory, psychological insight, and professional acumen, Young is crafting a legacy that transcends personal accolades. More than a star returning home, he is a bridge between eras—equipping the next generation of Crimson Tide quarterbacks with the leadership skills and NFL experience needed to sustain Alabama’s tradition of excellence.

When Bryce Young, the former No. 1 overall pick and 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, returned to the University of Alabama this spring, it signaled more than a nostalgic revisit—it was a strategic investment in the program’s future. Young’s offseason mentorship of the Crimson Tide quarterbacks blends his collegiate triumphs with the hard-earned lessons of an NFL rookie campaign, offering Alabama’s signal-callers a rare convergence of leadership, technical insight, and professional preparation. Over the course of several weeks on the practice fields and inside the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility, Young has immersed himself in the Tide’s offseason regimen, working closely with coaching staff and players to elevate the quarterback room’s collective acumen and poise.

A Champion’s Foundation

Young’s pedigree at Alabama is beyond reproach. Arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2020, he immediately showcased poise under pressure, leading the Tide to a national championship in his freshman season. In 2021, Young shattered school records—most notably throwing for a school-record 559 yards in a single game—and swept college football’s most prestigious awards, including the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Davey O’Brien Award. His combination of accuracy, mobility, and football intellect under legendary coach Nick Saban established Young as not only one of the greatest quarterbacks in Alabama history but also a benchmark for future Crimson Tide signal-callers.

Yet Young’s greatest asset may be the emotional intelligence he developed off the field. Raised by parents who worked in special education and mental health, and guided by a grandfather in psychology, Young cultivated resilience and self-awareness as integral parts of his leadership toolkit. These traits, often overshadowed by on-field exploits, now form the bedrock of his mentoring philosophy, which emphasizes mental preparation, accountability, and composure as much as throwing mechanics or read-progressions.

Translating NFL Lessons to Tuscaloosa

Transitioning to the NFL ranks with the Carolina Panthers in 2023, Young encountered the steep learning curve familiar to many first-year passers. Despite flashes of brilliance, his rookie season was marked by inconsistency as both Young and the Panthers adjusted to pro-style game planning and the heightened physicality of the NFL. Throughout voluntary OTAs and minicamps, Young absorbed the Panthers’ offensive system under veteran coach Dave Canales, learning advanced play-calling, defensive disguise recognition, and in-game adjustments against complex coverages .

Armed with these professional insights, Young’s offseason sessions at Alabama are structured to fast-track the Tide quarterbacks’ transition from collegiate pace to NFL speed. Film breakdown meetings use the same digital playbook software employed by the Panthers, challenging quarterbacks to identify and react to coverage shifts within seconds. On-field drills replicate situational constraints—from two-minute drills to red-zone, mixed-personnel scenarios—mirroring the tempo and nuance of NFL game scripts. By exposing young quarterbacks to pro-level standards in the spring, Young aims to condense what might otherwise be a multiyear developmental curve into a single offseason.

Leadership Beyond the X’s and O’s

Perhaps most transformative is Young’s insistence on leadership cultivation. Borrowing from the Panthers’ locker-room culture, he has introduced structured “resilience circles,” where quarterbacks openly discuss practice failures or game-day misreads, offering peer feedback and problem-solving strategies. This approach, rooted in psychological principles, is designed to normalize adversity as a growth opportunity rather than a deficit, fostering a tight-knit quarterback room that supports rather than competes against one another.

Young also leads workshops on handling media scrutiny and fan expectations—vital skills in the SEC’s intense spotlight. Drawing on his own experiences fielding Heisman hype and high-stakes college rivalry games, he coaches quarterbacks on crafting concise, confident public statements and maintaining focus amidst external noise. For Alabama’s signal-callers, mastery of this dimension is as critical as perfecting a deep-ball trajectory.

Voices from the Quarterback Room

Jalen Milroe, Young’s successor under center in 2023, has emerged as both a protégé and collaborator. Milroe’s dynamic dual-threat skill set earned conference accolades and positioned him as a top NFL prospect. Yet, as Milroe himself acknowledges, Young’s presence has sharpened his understanding of pro-style nuances. “Bryce helped me refine my pre-snap reads and adjust protection calls,” Milroe said. “He sees defenses differently now and has coached me on sliding windows and timing routes like I’ve never experienced before.”

Redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson—who served as Young’s backup in 2022—credits his improved pocket presence and footwork drills to Young’s personalized guidance. Simpson notes that Young tailored sessions to target Simpson’s arm strength and rhythm, pushing him through quarterback-specific conditioning routines adapted from the Panthers’ offseason program. “He taught me how pros prepare in the weight room and on the practice field,” Simpson remarked. “It’s a different level of detail and intensity.”

Coaching Endorsement and Program Impact

Head coach Kalen DeBoer, entering his third season at Alabama, has lauded Young’s return as a “game-changer” for player development. DeBoer emphasizes that alumni mentorship, while not new to the Crimson Tide, has rarely carried the immediacy of NFL relevance until now. “Bryce bridges our tradition with tomorrow’s standards,” DeBoer said. “He models the work ethic our quarterbacks must embrace if they aspire to excel at Alabama and beyond.”

Alabama’s athletic department views Young’s engagement as a recruitment boon, underscoring the program’s commitment to holistic quarterback development. Prospective recruits are beginning to factor peer mentorship and NFL connectivity into their decision-making, with Young’s active role serving as tangible evidence of Alabama’s pipeline to the pros.

Looking Ahead to 2025 and Beyond

As the Crimson Tide prepare for the rigorous SEC gauntlet in 2025, the quarterbacks mentored by Bryce Young will carry both his technical acumen and leadership ethos onto the field. Accelerated film study habits, pro-level physical training regimens, and resilience-focused mindsets are expected to translate into sharper reads, cleaner mechanics, and steadier poise under pressure. Moreover, the cultural imprint—one that values vulnerability in failure as much as celebration in success—may well redefine the quarterback room’s dynamic for seasons to come.

In the grand arc of Alabama football, Bryce Young’s return is more than a nostalgic chapter—it is a forward-looking experiment in legacy building. By channeling the triumphs of his collegiate career, the trials of his NFL rookie year, and the support systems that shaped his psychological resilience, Young is crafting a mentorship blueprint that could shape Crimson Tide quarterbacks long after his playing days. In doing so, he cements his own legacy not just as a statistical marvel, but as a transformative leader—one whose greatest victory may yet be the success of those he has chosen to guide.