A.J. McCarron, “Bryce is Doing Awesome”
The Alabama Crimson Tide is hosting the LSU Tigers in Bryant-Denny Stadium at 6 p.m. on Saturday night. The University will take the opportunity to honor the 2011 National Championship winning team during the game to celebrate the team's 10th anniversary.
Former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron joined Ryan Fowler on The Game to prepare for his visit and reminisce on his time with the Crimson Tide.
McCarron, currently rehabbing a knee injury, has a unique perspective on current quarterback Bryce Young. The Mobile-native spent two years in Houston playing for current Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.
"I think Bryce is doing awesome. One thing, when you're young and now, this offense is more QB friendly than during my time because it's so much more open and spread out. I thought he's done an unbelievable job and deserves a ton of credit for giving the playmakers the ball." said McCarron. "Whether its a 2-yard pass or a 45-yard pass the quicker you can give them the ball and let these guys go make plays for you and take the pressure off of you on always trying to be perfect on blitz pick ups and changing protections and things like that."
Young has largely played magnificently throughout the year. He is trying to replicate McCarron's feat of leading the Crimson Tide to a national championship in his first year as starting quarterback. McCarron continued on Young's game and discussed what he might work to improve on.
"The only time I thought he got himself in trouble was the A&M game and I had been in Bill's offense, O.B.'s offense, in for two years in Houston, and its a very QB friendly offense but you don't always have to be correct on the protection," said McCarron. "If you can get the ball out of your hands and play hot sometimes and lean on that but I feel like Bryce is doing an awesome job. Joe Willie said it, it's hard to explain the pressure that comes with the position of QB at the University of Alabama but pressure creates diamonds so I think he's going to be a great one for years to come and I'm excited to watch him grow and keep playing."
The full interview can be played on the Tide 100.9 Soundcloud. Ryan Fowler hosts The Game, Tuscaloosa's longest running sports radio show on Tide 100.9 FM weekdays from 2-6 p.m. CT. Tune in on the free Tide1009App