'It's a process': Bryce Young talks new receiving core

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The ideal college football offense is an array of returning talent who understand the ins and outs of the playbook and can run any scheme without hesitation.

With that, the relationship between the quarterback and the trio of wide receivers is paramount, with the goal of both position groups understanding one another.

Prior to this season, Alabama had to start that relationship from scratch as the Crimson Tide lost Jameson Willaims, John Metchie III and Slade Bolden to the NFL. While losing a combined 217 receptions for 3,122 yards and 26 touchdowns from the aforementioned trio last season hurts, rebuilding that chemistry is a difficult process.

On Monday returning quarterback Bryce Young spoke about that process and how he’s developed his rapport with the new trio of starting wide receivers in Jermaine Burton, Traeshon Holden and Kobe Prentice.

“We have new faces coming in, and we had some chances where some guys are stepping up into different roles,” Young said. “But at the same time, there's going to be some growing pains. You're not going to look like how you want to look on the first day of spring ball or the first day of fall camp, but it's a process. … It’s just knowing that it is going to be a process.”

Holden is the most experienced of the trio tallying 21 receptions for 239 yards and one touchdown in 2021. The junior was originally slotted to pair with JoJo Earle, who hauled in 16 receptions for 148 yards, but he suffered a fractured foot early in fall camp and will be out for six to eight weeks.

Last season, Holden saw most of his production between the numbers, and because of his 6-foot-3 frame, will likely be a target there again. According to Pro Football Focus, Holden saw 12 targets between zero and 9 yards while receiving an 89.3 grade between the numbers at that distance.

“I've just seen steady growth,” Young said. “He's been working really, really hard. Someone who worked hard throughout his time here. It hasn't been his time the last few years, but not everyone's seeing what's going on throughout the week, but the last two years he's been here he's been working day in and day out. He's grown feels like every practice. And then in the offseason, he's been taking really a leadership role and being the guy who has been here the longest, knowing all this stuff.”

With Holden’s primary workload consisting of short routes, Alabama needed to find receivers who could break off big plays. The Crimson Tide nabbed two wideouts from the transfer portal in Jermaine Burton and Tyler Harrell. Burton got the nod to start over Harrell in Week 1 as the Georgia transfer has a more varied route arsenal which he displayed with the Bulldogs last season.

The junior saw more than 65% of his targets from 10 yards and further, tallying 17 receptions for 437 yards and four touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. He also graded high than 80 in all areas of the field past 10 yards. Along with his explosiveness, Burton also has a relationship with Young as both players knew each other while playing high school football in California.

“Obviously how explosive he was was what really popped,” Young said. “On the field, he’s always giving everything — finishing routes, finishing plays. He’s super competitive. He's willing to go run any route, play any role and is not selfish at all. That stuff definitely popped on film and now that you get to see him in practice, you get to be around him, it makes a lot of sense why he was able to have the success he has, and I'm super excited to keep watching him.”

The trio is rounded out by true freshman Prentice, who benefitted the most from Earle’s injury. The former four-star athlete and Rivals 250 prospect, caught 41 passes for 711 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior at Calera High School. He was clocked at 4.38 in his 40-yard dash at Alabama’s prospect camp in 2021 and will look to use that speed in the slot to open up holes in the defense.

Young completed 104 “pop” passes — throws right at the line of scrimmage. With Prentice’s shiftiness and quickness, it gives the reigning Heisman trophy winner a weapon to carve defenses up underneath their zones.

“He's obviously worked his way up to the depth chart. I think it's just that willingness to work. He comes in every day with a super great attitude and a great mindset. He's always energetic. He's easy for everyone to kind of work with and bounces off of. Just a willingness to work and obviously, the talent and athleticism he brings to the field."