On September 3, Alabama will start its 2022 season against Utah State in the search for a second national title in three years. Leading the charge is quarterback Bryce Young, who led the team last year to an 11-1 season, beating Georgia 41-24 in the SEC championship game, and besting Cincinnati in the semifinals before succumbing to the Bulldogs in a 33-18 loss. When discussing the loss, Young remained positive. “I think the biggest thing that I took away — we took away as a unit — is that all things come to light. I think there was a lot of shortcuts we were taking, a lot of stuff we weren’t doing to our level, to our standard. A lot of little things that we should’ve ironed out that didn’t really get ironed out. In the big moments throughout the season, I think all those little things got exposed,” he told Sports Spectrum.

The 2021 season brought Young a series of accolades, including the Heisman Award and the SEC Player of the Year Award. He also signed an NIL deal to appear in Dr. Pepper’s “Fansville” campaign that will begin airing this season. NIL, which stands for “name, image, likeness” allows NCAA athletes to be compensated for promoting, partnering, or representing brands. Prior to 2021, most college athletes were prohibited from financially profiting from schools that used their likenesses or names. A 2021 9-0 ruling by the Supreme Court overturned those rules and has allowed students like Young to now gain compensation for their “brand,” which could be quite lucrative for the 21-year-old.

Yet, despite all his athletic and financial success, Young remains true to his Christian faith. “I work to be the best version of myself that I can be and to embody Christ in all that I do. So, for me, regardless of how someone else views me, whatever award, accolade, what someone may say … at the end of the day, what motivates me and pushes me is to model myself after the Lord,” he told Sports Spectrum. Young’s social media is filled with God’s praises. When he won the Heisman in December 2021, he tweeted a picture of himself and his family with the award, saying, “God is great! Truly grateful for everyone who made this possible and for all the support I’ve received. All glory to God!” He published similar feelings on his Instagram, saying he was, “eternally grateful to those around me who made this possible. All glory to God!” In his interview with Sports Spectrum, he summed up his faith as being integral to every part of life, saying, “I bring my faith in all that I do. I work hard and try to do my best to represent God through football. Whether it’s small things, big things, whatever it is, I understand that God’s with me.”