Crimson Red Sports

“I’ve told both players, ‘You’ve gotta win the team, and everything you do to bring attention to yourself, or anybody even in your family that brings attention to yourself, you’re not doing yourself a service in trying to win the team,’” Saban told ESPN on Tuesday.

https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2018/7/24/17610056/alabama-football-saban-tua-tagovailoa-jalen-hurts-qb-espn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKdcjJoXeEY

Translation: "Papa Hurts, STHU!!!"

Well no matter CNS runs this team. RTR!

I thought CNS comment at SEC Media Days was aimed squarely at Jalen & his dad; mostly Papa Hurts since he is the one who created the most doubt about Jalen sticking around.  For Jalen to have any chance of winning the team, he had to end the "Are you transferring?" talk.  And he did.  And CNS immediately started talking about both QBs having a role.  So I say...well played by CNS!

I watched the 2nd half of the NC game again last night (on SEC network.)  Everyone remembers the game winning play but if you watch Tua's performance, he made so many plays that Jalen would never attempt, mainly because he wouldn't see the open receivers. And he made accurate throws that Jalen cannot make.  So IMHO, unless Jalen has morphed into something we've never seen, or Tua blows it, Tua will be the starting QB.

We have never seen what Tua can do when he gets the majority of the practice reps with the 1's.  Can you imagine???

I can easily see CNS sticking with two quarterbacks and rotating each series can you imagine the nightmare it would be for the opposing team to prepare for both

Barring injury we'll see both against Louisville.  Should be fun.

 :popcorn2:

Well what about both on the field at the same time? One spread out and can throw anywhere and you have the 2 QB system no one could defend. RTR!

I know Jalen wants to play QB, but he would be an incredible weapon as a hybrid RB/TE/WR. His running abilities combined with his throwing skills would give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares if he were on the field at the same time as Tua.

Hurts can actually throw pretty well, he just hasn't demonstrated an ability to read defenses or find open receivers. If he hasn't done that after two full years of practicing against the best defense in the country and 29 starts, it's probably not going to suddenly happen.

I’m glad Jalen is staying. I see both getting rotation playing time until we have a crunch time situation. Whoever has performed best to that point will take over the reins. I would put my money on Tua. Doesn’t mean that’s the end of playing time for Jalen if that’s the case.

As mentioned, he has too much athletic ability to ride the pine. I think he’ll have a role that will only help the team.

Anyway, I can’t wait for it all to begin.

Not sure how much playing time we see out of Jalen during the season.  I too watched the Natty Game recently, and early in the game Jalen overthrows a wide open Calvin Ridley in the end zone (after the defender fell down).  While that was one unfortunate pass... 

Tua is much better at (1) reading the defensive secondary, (2) finding the open receiver, (3) throwing an accurate pass into a tight window, and (4) throwing the receiver open.  #4 is important, Tua is able to throw the ball to where the receiver is supposed to be, whereas Jalen mostly throws to where the receiver is.  Even on swing passes, screens, Tua's throws give the receiver/RB momentum in the direction he needs to run, with Jalen it is catch first then start running.

Tua's mistakes in the Natty were freshman/inexperience mistakes, failing to throw the ball away, trying to fit a pass into too tight a window.  Best way to correct those is with more playing time.

The reason I don't see Jalen getting much playing time, though, is that I suspect he might not want playing time if he isn't the starter.  He has plenty of playing experience, and he does not need "mop up duty" to get on-field experience.  Instead, what he needs (if he isn't the starter) is to graduate in December and then transfer (no sitting out a year) with two more years of eligibility.  The redshirt rules recently changed, and so Jalen can play some and still use his redshirt this season.  He can be a backup QB and still redshirt. 

So while ya'll are right about Jalen's potential as a weapon other than at QB, and I've entertained those notions, I'm not hearing that from Jalen, his dad, or the coaching staff.  At the moment, his focus, rightly so, is on being the best QB he can be.  Even if Jalen doesn't start, keeping some depth at the QB position is the most important thing he can add to the team this year.

What about Mac Jones as a backup? Is he improving any or just sending in signals? RTR!

I like Mac Jones and would like to see him get some playing time.  He could be a starter after Tua is gone.

But (1) Bama needs more than one backup QB, and (2) Jalen has much more experience than Jones and I would trust him more in a tight game.

What about my cousin Tua's brother is he going to be a starting QB somewhere like Alabama? RTR!