Bryce Young wins 2021 Heisman Trophy
Alabama QB Bryce Young took home the Heisman Trophy in New York City on Saturday night, becoming the second straight Alabama player to claim the award after DeVonta Smith did so in 2020.
As dominant as the Crimson Tide have been in the last decade, the Pasadena, California, native is just the fourth player and first quarterback in school history to win the Heisman. Mark Ingram was Alabama's first winner in 2009.
The sophomore won the honor over Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, and Pitt’s Kenny Pickett.
| Player | 1st Place Votes | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| Bryce Young | 684 | 2311 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | 78 | 954 |
| Kenny Pickett | 28 | 631 |
| C.J. Stroud | 12 | 399 |
Heading into the 2021 campaign as a first-year starter, Young produced a season-opening win over then-ranked No. 14 Miami, throwing for 421 yards and three touchdowns on top of rushing for 40 yards and a touchdown. Young ranks fourth nationally in passing yards with 4,322, second nationally in touchdown passes with 43, and has thrown just four interceptions this year.
After attempting only 22 passes behind Mac Jones last campaign, Young came into his own with a 68% completion rate in 2021, completing 314 passes on 462 attempts. Young had five single-game touchdowns three separate times this season, including a dominant performance against a then-ranked No. 21 Arkansas where Young tallied 559 yards and five touchdowns.
The Crimson Tide were faced with a tougher path than normal en route to the national title game, as a midseason loss to Texas A&M dropped the program to No. 5 in the rankings. Young led the charge during a comeback victory in the Iron Bowl - despite his lowest completion percentage of the season at 49% - throwing for 317 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He topped the performance off with a 28-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left to send the matchup to overtime.
In the SEC Championship against No. 1 Georgia, Young put on a show with 421 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 40 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown to claim a sixth conference title in eight years. The Bulldogs' defense came into the contest allowing just 6.9 points per game. With a second straight national championship in sight, Young and No. 1 Alabama will now face No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl.