Bryce Young Wins ESPY for Best Male College Athlete
Bryce Young’s trophy cabinet is about to get a bit more crowded. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner added a new piece of hardware to his collection Wednesday as he earned the ESPY for Best College Athlete in Men’s Sports.
Young is the second straight Alabama player to win the award as DeVonta Smith took home the honor last year. The Alabama quarterback earned this year’s honor over Georgetown soccer player Dante Polvara, Maryland lacrosse player Logan Wisnauskas, and Gonzaga basketball player Chet Holmgren.
Alabama joins Florida (Tim Tebow 2008-09) and Southern California (Matt Leinart, 2005; Reggie Bush 2006) as the only programs with two winners.
Last year, Young set Alabama's single-season records with 4,872 passing yards and 47 touchdowns through the air while becoming the program’s first Heisman-winning quarterback. He also set the Crimson Tide’s single-game passing yards mark with 559 against Arkansas.
However, during his appearance at SEC Media Days in Atlanta on Tuesday, the junior made sure to note his focus isn’t on individual success heading into what could be his final season at Alabama.
"Being at Alabama, all you have to focus on is the team and winning," Young said. "We didn’t get it done last year. That's really the approach I'm taking. I definitely have a lot of motivation, a lot of fuel to do that."
Along with winning the Heisman Trophy, Young also earned the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award and was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year last year. He was also a consensus first-team All-American. Earlier this summer, the SEC honored him as its male athlete of the year.
In addition to his achievements on the field, Young also joins edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. as one of two returning captains from last year’s team. Tuesday, Nick Saban praised him for the positive mindset and self-determination he has shown this offseason.
"I think that one of the most important things for Bryce or any player who has success is to understand that success is not a continuum," Saban said. "Success is momentary. So if you're going to continue to have success, you have to stay focused on the things you need to do to improve, to prepare, to lead, to impact and affect other people around you.
"Bryce has shown every indication that he's got a willingness to do all those things. He's a perfectionist in terms of what he wants to do and what he wants to accomplish. So far I've been pleased with the way he's been able to maintain the mindset that you need to do to continue to improve and make progress as a player."
