QB Competition 2018

[TIDE-HSV]

The defense may be much more effective than at any time since FSU which is a strong plus and a major change.
IMO Saban would never put in Tua unless there was a problem or injury with JH we are not privy to. It would be wrong IMO to put Tua in late if the game was out of hand. There are plenty of tools in the offensive arsenal that Kiffen employed with great success. Again IMO Dabol doesn't have to invent anything. He just needs to look at what these athletes have accomplished when they were put in a position to be successful.

I would have agreed with you prior to the AU game. After that, I think Jalen's position has become conditional. JMO, again, but I think Jalen will start with the condition that he's got to get the ball out of his hands. I believe that the game plan will revolve around that - utilizing the receivers and RBs. If he won't or can't and the game starts going in the direction of the AU game, I think you will see Tua...

 

[rgw]

Our problems on defense are beyond the linebacker corp but injuries there exacerbated the problems. Not really the topic to discuss that though...

 

[rgw]

I would have agreed with you prior to the AU game. After that, I think Jalen's position has become conditional. JMO, again, but I think Jalen will start with the condition that he's got to get the ball out of his hands. I believe that the game plan will revolve around that - utilizing the receivers and RBs. If he won't or can't and the game starts going in the direction of the AU game, I think you will see Tua...

I hate to say it because I've been a big Jalen Hurts advocate on here since last Summer but I agree with this logic. We have too much talent at the skill positions for it to be wasted because the QB is not seeing or delivering catchable balls to open players. I am not really excited about throwing Tua to the wolves on such a stage but "we play to win the game" and Saban ain't gonna get beat the same way twice. If the QB is being too hesitant, happy-footed, and otherwise ineffective then there will be a change.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

I would have agreed with you prior to the AU game. After that, I think Jalen's position has become conditional. JMO, again, but I think Jalen will start with the condition that he's got to get the ball out of his hands. I believe that the game plan will revolve around that - utilizing the receivers and RBs. If he won't or can't and the game starts going in the direction of the AU game, I think you will see Tua...

I think that's a fair assessment. You have to consider few factors that may determine whether Tua plays in the game or not.

1) What if Jalen starts off hot, does what he was supposed to be doing... few gaffs here and there, but Game is tied 14-14 at halftime? When do you put Tua in?

2) What if Jalen is doing what he was supposed to do, but receivers dropping the balls, OL not blocking well?
3) What if Tua comes in a series and he struggles to move the offense? Is that it?
4) what if Jalen plays terrible and Tua plays terrible as well?


There are things I'll be looking for when practice starts Friday.

 

[LA4Bama]

IRT to our RBs, yes we did. Our RBs combined for 18 carries. Jalen had 18 carries. AU RBs combined for 36 carries. The fact of the matter is we didn't feed our RBs enough. There's no logical explanation for why, over the course of the entire game, Damien Harris only had 6 carries..

I always liked that line from the Eagles: "You can see the stats but still not see the light".

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

I think that's a fair assessment. You have to consider few factors that may determine whether Tua plays in the game or not.

1) What if Jalen starts off hot, does what he was supposed to be doing... few gaffs here and there, but Game is tied 14-14 at halftime? When do you put Tua in?

2) What if Jalen is doing what he was supposed to do, but receivers dropping the balls, OL not blocking well?
3) What if Tua comes in a series and he struggles to move the offense? Is that it?
4) what if Jalen plays terrible and Tua plays terrible as well?


There are things I'll be looking for when practice starts Friday.

Personally, I think its more likely Tua has a package or at least I hope that's the case. If he has a package most of these questions don't apply. However...

1) My guess is they probably wouldn't but I may depending on the flow. If Jalen hits a big play or 2 for a TD but the offense otherwise stalls then I would be tempted to at least consider it. Again, doubt coaches would but I would.

2) Again, depends. At some point the QB has to make some plays despite his teammates. If Jalen isn't making those at all then again, I think you have to consider a change.

3) No. If you make a change at QB you have to live or die by it. You can't give Tua just one series.

4) If Jalen plays poorly enough that you make a QB change then my answer is the same as #3. You live or die by it and see what happens.

 

[B1GTide]

I4) what if Jalen plays terrible and Tua plays terrible as well?

Then you need to pray for some defensive magic, because you are probably looking at a loss.

 

[RedWave]

Still missing SDH in the middle though. Moses might be a better athlete, but he's not at the same stage as SDH. He still has some tendencies to overrun plays and also to try to slip behind blocks instead of playing over them which created some issues. With Mack hopefully healthy he could slide in at Mike as I am sure he was the #2 till he went down

I say losing SDH was our biggest loss this year. Only one that would have hurt more is Minkah, but thankfully he was able to recover.

 

[BamaMoon]

I would have agreed with you prior to the AU game. After that, I think Jalen's position has become conditional. JMO, again, but I think Jalen will start with the condition that he's got to get the ball out of his hands. I believe that the game plan will revolve around that - utilizing the receivers and RBs. If he won't or can't and the game starts going in the direction of the AU game, I think you will see Tua...

I can't imagine it not going that way. I don't think there's anyway CNS would watch a playoff game get away from us after seeing how the Auburn game went off the track.

Someone, right after the Auburn game, said (substituting Tua for Jalen) "wouldn't have been any worse" and one poster too exception to it because they thought it was "anti-Jalen" but against Clemson, if Jalen struggles I can't believe CNS would not try to win it with Tua.

 

[BamaMoon]

I think that's a fair assessment. You have to consider few factors that may determine whether Tua plays in the game or not.

1) What if Jalen starts off hot, does what he was supposed to be doing... few gaffs here and there, but Game is tied 14-14 at halftime? When do you put Tua in?

2) What if Jalen is doing what he was supposed to do, but receivers dropping the balls, OL not blocking well?
3) What if Tua comes in a series and he struggles to move the offense? Is that it?
4) what if Jalen plays terrible and Tua plays terrible as well?


There are things I'll be looking for when practice starts Friday.

Might we see a game plan that uses both QBs??? IDK. But if not and Jalen starts, I think it's much simpler than several things determining if Tua plays:

1. Jalen executes a balanced offense (using RBs and passing when he's asked to) and we will start winning the game. Jalen plays the whole game!

2. If he doesn't, we'll be losing, and you put Tua in the game.

 

[uaintn]

I do not know whether Jalen's performance was due to his having an off night or there now being a specific defensive formula to sharply limit his effectiveness, which can be executed if you have a really stellar defensive line. May be some of both, and a good defensive plan frustrates him, or hurts his confidence or the like, leading to a subpar performance.

In a case where it looked like the Aub game, I would try Tua. Sure he might be dazzled, might even fumble his first snap, but you have to give the players a chance to win.

I've certainly seen games where the starter was injured and the backup was credited with providing a spark, they may have more likely been that the defense took so long to figure out how to react to him that they got their offense in a hole they couldn't dig out of.

Mainly, I'm hoping that Jalen plays a great game.

 

[Padreruf]

The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that we do not play Tua in this game, barring injury to JH. We may think he needs/deserves a chance, but I am not sure the coaches think that way -- at least the one that matters. No, we will dance with the one we brought...for good or bad.

 

[BamaMoon]

The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that we do not play Tua in this game, barring injury to JH. We may think he needs/deserves a chance, but I am not sure the coaches think that way -- at least the one that matters. No, we will dance with the one we brought...for good or bad.

I hope if Jalen starts the game he can finish it with a win!

But if we are struggling to move the ball, let's say in the 3rd quarter and are falling behind, you are saying you hope we don't try Tua???

 

[B1GTide]

I hope if Jalen starts the game he can finish it with a win!

But if we are struggling to move the ball, let's say in the 3rd quarter and are falling behind, you are saying you hope we don't try Tua???

Saban's history says that he will not, but the Auburn game may have changed that.

 

[mlh]

I think it all depends on whether our offensive struggles are a result of Jalen not playing well or not. If he's passing well and our guys are dropping balls, or if the RBs are making turnovers, or if the OL can't block well enough to give him time, then Jalen stays in the game. But if he's missing open receivers or can't find the open receivers or is making the wrong reads on RPOs, then I would expect Saban to yank him and give Tua a chance.

 

[CrimsonProf]

The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that we do not play Tua in this game, barring injury to JH. We may think he needs/deserves a chance, but I am not sure the coaches think that way -- at least the one that matters. No, we will dance with the one we brought...for good or bad.

If that happens and things proceed as they did for much of the back half of the season, we're going to have a very frustrated sideline.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Saban's history says that he will not, but the Auburn game may have changed that.

Yup. It's been the struggle I've had while thinking about this. It seems out of character for Saban to make a QB change or even for him to give Tua a package. BUT, Saban hates to lose and is far from dumb. He has also shown a clear willingness to change his approach if needed and take risks he feels are worth it. This could certainly fall under that.

 

[BamaMoon]

Saban's history says that he will not, but the Auburn game may have changed that.

I probably oversimplified what I think we'll be grounds for substituting Tua.

If it's a close game and perhaps the lead is going back and forth, and Jalen seems to be executing in all phases, I think we'll stick with him.

But, I think we are good enough (team wise) if he executes properly, we'll build a lead.

If we fall behind by two scores, however, and JH is not moving the chains as I believe he will have to do with his arm some of the time on 3rd downs, that's when it becomes possible, IMO, that we'll see Tua.

The only reason we are even talking about this is because Tua is not some untested, acclaimed HS phenom that we've heard is good. He's not an unknown talent. This isn't when we got behind a couple of scores to Georgia in 2012 or Clemson in 2015 and all we had was an untested backup. Of course CNS doesn't pull AJ or Coker. It is different with Tua because the coaches and fans have seen his incredible talent. None of this means CNS plays him if Jalen struggles, but I don't think anyone would be surprised if he plays him if Jalen struggles. Going a step further, if Jalen struggles, (and we lose) and Tua is not given a chance, I think the murmuring will be of epic proportions

 

[gman4tide]

Yall keep mentioning the OL not blocking well or giving the QB time, then don't call 5sec materializing, 1 receiver patterns! You cannot expect the OL to hold blocks for 3-5 seconds every down. It especially won't work if we're behind the chains. Don't put all this on the OL. Same as with any position...play calling can help them tremendously!

 

[Padreruf]

Saban's history says that he will not, but the Auburn game may have changed that.

I didn't say what I hoped...but what I believe will happen. CNS just doesn't change QB's...ever. He even stuck with BS when he was horrible at the first of the AU game.