"The quarterback gets too much blame": Nick Saban reacts to former Alabama QB Bryce Young's benching in Carolina
It's no surprise Nick Saban coached a myriad of current NFL quarterbacks in their time at Alabama, and each quarterback has seen their respective highs and lows in their careers.
From Jalen Hurts to Tua Tagovailoa, Saban has remained supportive of his quarterbacks once they go to the next level. Now working as an analyst, Saban gave his thoughts on former Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young.
Young, the 2023 No.1 overall pick, was benched in favor of Andy Dalton following an 0-2 start to the season by the Carolina Panthers. In an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday, the former head coach offered his thoughts on Carolina benching Young.
"Sometimes the quarterback gets too much credit and sometimes when things don't go well the quarterback gets too much blame...," Saban said.
"I hate to see [Bryce Young] get benched, but I also don't see a lot of opportunity for him to be successful based on the skill players they have around him, the offensive line they have around him. I think he's the kind of player who can really operate well when he has good players around him," he added.
14-year veteran Andy Dalton will get the start for the Panthers this weekend versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
How has Bryce Young played so far in his second NFL season?
Bryce Young has lost both of his starts in Carolina's first two contests this season, but an immense lack of talent around him has left little room for success offensively.
Young opened the season, completing 13-of-30 pass attempts for 161 yards and two interceptions. The former Crimson Tide quarterback was sacked four times.
Week 2 saw more of the same for Young, being sacked twice. He completed 18-of-26 passes for 84 yards and an interception. While he has struggled, it's hard to imagine even the best quarterbacks in the NFL finding success in Carolina's offense.
Since 2023, Bryce Young has been the most sacked quarterback in the NFL since the start of last season, being brought down a staggering 68 times in that span. The Panthers have some glaring holes to fill to help their franchise quarterback find success.