Alabama Crimson Tide: Bryce Young talks flip
Bryce Young, Rivals100 quarterback from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, kept things quiet leading up to his official visit to Alabama this past weekend. Young's trip to Tuscaloosa prompted many to suspect a decision to flip from USC was imminent. He released the news on Sunday afternoon of his intentions to decommit from the Trojans and subsequently announce for the University of Alabama.
"There were a lot of things," Young said when asked why he decided to commit to Alabama. "Just the relationship I have with Coach Sark (Steve Sarkisian), Coach Saban and Coach Tino (Sunseri). The system they run is very similar to what I run now (at Mater Dei). They have a lot of success running the system.
"I love the overall culture and tradition of the program. Another highlight was talking to the players and seeing how focused they are on winning. I want to win and compete against the best. I want to play with the best. Alabama is the place I can do that. The family environment there is also really special."
Young had not visited Alabama since the end of his sophomore season. There has been plenty of talk of a potential flip, but even some doubted it would happen without visiting Tuscaloosa in almost two years. He felt right at home on his official visit.
"It was great," he said. "It was amazing spending time with all of the coaches and being on campus. It's a strong family environment. There isn't another coaching staff I've been around that has made me like I'm in a strong family.
"Every one is looking out for each other. There is just so much love. Every one has the same mission to come together and win. It's definitely an amazing staff. The visit confirmed how much of a good spot and good fit Alabama is for me.
“Trey (Sanders) was my host. It was great. I have known Trey since we played against each other. I hung around him and other players on the team. It was great to be around him and other guys. Every one talked about the culture. Every one is so focused on winning and getting better every day.
"The players have a really good family bond with each other. You hear all the good things from the staff, but when you hear it from the players it's different. It's just another level of reassurance. It really confirmed what I already knew.
"For me the best part of the visit was hanging with the staff and being around my family. It was great to be around Coach Sark, Coach Saban, and Coach Tino. It was great having them communicate with us face-to-face. I feel like being around the staff was my favorite part of the weekend."
Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian played a vital role in helping the Tide secure the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback. The two originally met when Young camped at USC in middle school. They re-connected once Coach Sark re-joined the Alabama staff.
"Coach Sark is really someone I connected well with throughout the process," Young stated. "To see how this has come full circle is pretty crazy. I think we have a very good relationship. He is very smart and does great things on the field. He is also someone you can hang out with outside of football. He is someone I am very comfortable with and someone I can speak with about all aspects of life."
There has been a lot of buzz on social media since Young's flip to Alabama. The quarterback position is definitely one of great importance in a recruiting class as it can help when it comes to targeting other elite offensive stars.
"Coach Sark and I have talked about how we want to get on," Young said. "I definitely feel like as a quarterback it's important for me to help recruit guys to come in. We have to keep getting stronger. I am super excited about the future. I am going to help recruit guys, but at the same time I have my own goals I want to achieve at Mater Dei. I am focused on my season."
Young grew up a USC fan and committed prior to his junior season. It was a tough situation and one Young handled well throughout the process.
"It was extremely tough to let USC know I was de-committing," he said. "I was committed for such a long time. USC will always have a special place in my heart. They were nothing but great throughout the whole process.
"Letting them know about my decision was really hard. They handled it really well. They wished me the best. I know a lot of schools would have handled it a lot difference. It just shows what a class act they are at USC. I will always have a lot of love for them."
Young hopes to return to Tuscaloosa in November when the Crimson Tide hosts LSU. He will graduate in December and enroll at Alabama in January. Alabama opens the 2020 season in Arlington against USC.
Andrew Bone, of BamaInsider.com, is also a real estate broker in the state of Alabama.
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