Jumbo Package: Bryce Young prepares to compete

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Michael Casagrande compiled reactions from former and current Alabama players on racial injustice and the current events from across the nation. You can see those here.

On to sports.

Hopefully we will, in a couple of months, again be following a QB battle after a brief one year hiatus. BamaOnline posted a five minute video of Bryce Young throwing out in California, and while it can not be embedded here it is worth a watch. Young’s upper body jumps out first, clearly confirming reports that he added substantial weight and strength in his first, well, partial semester at Alabama. He has a quick release that will remind you of Tua Tagovailoa, and gets plenty of zip on every type of throw. Decision making is a variable with a true freshman and will ultimately tell the tale, but Bryce looks ready to come in and push fourth-year competitor Mac Jones.

Since everything else is terrible, there may as well be bad football news too.

Just awful news for Justyn, an in-state product who was heavily coveted by Alabama and a virtual lock to be taken in the first round of the next draft before this news. Multiple careers has been derailed by these types of spinal defects, and Ross stepping onto a football field again is far from guaranteed as his risk of paralysis, etc. will be much higher than the typical player. As the offensive star of Clemson’s 2018 national title win over Alabama, he also becomes the poster child for NIL. Even if he is able to play again, he faces the choice of having to take that risk without a NFL contract by coming back for his senior season to prove his health, or enter the draft where multiple teams will undoubtedly remove him from their boards altogether.

Here’s hoping it all works out for him, one way or another.

Henry Ruggs III narrowly avoided what could have been a tragic injury.

That inch may have been the difference in life and death. Unbelievable.

“They just don’t come any better,” Perkins said. “I know a lot of people say that about a lot of other people, but Pat Dye was as at the top my list. I just loved the guy. You ask him to do something for you, he’s got it done before you even get it out of your mouth. He’s that kind of guy. … His players, he wanted to see them do good. He was in the helping mood for any of them — coaches and players. The No. 1 thing I can say about him, he was just a top-quality person.

“It was great to compete against him. We had fun with it. It really kept you on your toes trying to figure out a way to beat him.”

Perkins went 2-2 against Dye. There was a mutual admiration between Dye, Bryant, and those who played and coached under both. He is an icon in the state, and will be missed.

Not a lot of sports news going on right now, so that’s about it. Have a great day.

Roll Tide.