I'll go on record and I've felt this since last year that Jalen Hurts is a great football player and amazing athlete, but he doesn't have enough field vision to find the open man. It's not his fault, it's a gift that some have and some don't. It can't be learned either. I don't know if Tag has the mental toughness to be the starter, but I know he has uncanny field vision and a much quicker release and that in my opinion is what you have to have to win championships.
QB Competition 2018
- Thread starter ATLBAMAFAN
- Start date
Fire Daboll and send hurts packing, yeah that will fix all our issues. Tua and new OC next yr would guarantee a NC in 2018, pull the trigger Nick or you are next bahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahah jeez what foolishness. 1 lousy loss against #6 team in nation. Yeah we stunk it up and lost. It happens when you kill lower competition all year and finally meet your match on their field. You just get that mentality we can just beat em with talent. WELL guess what Aubs killed UGA and beat us, hey maybe they are a good team to. NO way we must find a ton of issues to fix. If we lose bowl game do we fire saban?
Edit: I removed the stuff that was incorrectly directed at a poster.
My problem is not with people that want Tua to have a shot in the spring. I said myself that's fair. I have a problem with people that want to lay all the blame on Hurts shoulders, and pretend like someone else would magically heal even the problems that Hurts has nothing to do with.
Let me break things down a bit further. I can admit that Hurts had a problem on some reads right? But we also know there were some protection issues. On top of that, Auburn was mugging Ridley, which took away at least three big plays that I can think of (in each Hurts made the throw by the way). Now, no one can objectively say the play calling was fantastic given the circumstance. Even if Daboll otherwise called a good game, it's his job to respond to the situation if the QB is having trouble making reads, if there are protection issues right, and if the defense is taking Ridley out of the game? So the idea that just bring in Tua is the magical solution, and there's no way anything could go wrong is just nuts. Of course things could have been worse, things could have been ugly. Would Daboll have started calling a better game? Would the line protect better? Would Auburn stop mugging Ridley? Those issues simply can not all be laid at the feet of Hurts!
I'm not calling for anyone to be fired or anyone to be benched. I think Hurts can play better than he did against Auburn, I think the offensive line can protect better, and I think Daboll can call a better game. This isn't the catastrophe some imagine it to be. Alabama lost a competitive game on the road to a very good team. That's as good or better than every team in college football with two exceptions.
My problem is not with people that want Tua to have a shot in the spring. I said myself that's fair. I have a problem with people that want to lay all the blame on Hurts shoulders, and pretend like someone else would magically heal even the problems that Hurts has nothing to do with.
Let me break things down a bit further. I can admit that Hurts had a problem on some reads right? But we also know there were some protection issues. On top of that, Auburn was mugging Ridley, which took away at least three big plays that I can think of (in each Hurts made the throw by the way). Now, no one can objectively say the play calling was fantastic given the circumstance. Even if Daboll otherwise called a good game, it's his job to respond to the situation if the QB is having trouble making reads, if there are protection issues right, and if the defense is taking Ridley out of the game? So the idea that just bring in Tua is the magical solution, and there's no way anything could go wrong is just nuts. Of course things could have been worse, things could have been ugly. Would Daboll have started calling a better game? Would the line protect better? Would Auburn stop mugging Ridley? Those issues simply can not all be laid at the feet of Hurts!
I'm not calling for anyone to be fired or anyone to be benched. I think Hurts can play better than he did against Auburn, I think the offensive line can protect better, and I think Daboll can call a better game. This isn't the catastrophe some imagine it to be. Alabama lost a competitive game on the road to a very good team. That's as good or better than every team in college football with two exceptions.
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Ah yes, you are correct. That was another poster (same reply). I'll apologize right now and edit my post. One issue I have run into a couple of times, and mind you these discussions have been going on for over a year now, is that the chorus of disrespect towards Hurts can blend together. Some are saying and doing perfectly reasonable things, but some people are... honestly just hateful jerks who seem to long for Hurts to fail for some reason. I apologize if my responses are too pointed, but it can be hard to differentiate at times when there's a cacophony of posts about Hurts.
I don't see anyone trashing Jalen, unless "trashing Jalen" means some have legitimate concerns about his ability to develop into a true, legitimate passer that can distribute the ball to elite receivers.
He demonstrated that he's struggled in the big games against the best defenses. Has the offensive coordinator situation been a hot mess for two years now? No doubt. Is Daboll not helping him by making it easier? Sure, seems so at least.
But the real issue is the eye test. The next game I coach will be my first, but I've watched enough football to see a special talent and we've got proof now that Tua's seen plenty of PT this year.
Could he had stepped in against Auburn in the middle of the 4th quarter and made a difference? That's very debatable and highly unlikely. But his field vision, quick realease and incredible accuracy is something that you can't "unsee."
Choose to be an exclusive RPO type offense...Jalen is your man.
Choose to drop a qb back in the pocket and ask him to quickly survey 3 developing routes in about 2-3 seconds and make a quick decision...Tua is your guy.
What I think some are simply saying is they don't hate Jalen but they might like to see Tua given some real playing time to see what happens.
He demonstrated that he's struggled in the big games against the best defenses. Has the offensive coordinator situation been a hot mess for two years now? No doubt. Is Daboll not helping him by making it easier? Sure, seems so at least.
But the real issue is the eye test. The next game I coach will be my first, but I've watched enough football to see a special talent and we've got proof now that Tua's seen plenty of PT this year.
Could he had stepped in against Auburn in the middle of the 4th quarter and made a difference? That's very debatable and highly unlikely. But his field vision, quick realease and incredible accuracy is something that you can't "unsee."
Choose to be an exclusive RPO type offense...Jalen is your man.
Choose to drop a qb back in the pocket and ask him to quickly survey 3 developing routes in about 2-3 seconds and make a quick decision...Tua is your guy.
What I think some are simply saying is they don't hate Jalen but they might like to see Tua given some real playing time to see what happens.
Agree
%!!!!!!Buggs, Davis, Ray, Williams, Dwight give us 5 down linemen that can play winning football.
Moses, Wilson, Jennings, Lewis, Miller, Mosley and Holcombe give us plenty of options @ LB.
Diggs, Thompson and Carter give us some players to work with in the secondary. Be nice to get a juco or grad transfer at DB for sure. However, i’d Like to think with Miller and Lewis healthy we will have a much better pass rush like 2016 and that would greatly help the secondary.
On offense we have plenty of talent regardless of who the QB might be. Jacobs, Najee and Robinson at RB are arguably the best RB trio in the SEC and top 5 in the nation. Most OC’s would love Jeudy, Ruggs and Smith as their top 3.
Our TE’s and entire OL except C is back.
Replacing JK and Pappanastos are my biggest concern behind our DB’s. I think our schedule plays to our favor:
Louisville is a good opener with a new QB. Arky St and Ole Miss will allow us to correct mistakes before aTm with a new coach. I don’t see much concern in a 4-0 start. ULL, Arky, MIZ, UT set us up for an 8-0 start.
The final 4 @ LSU and then Miss St, Cit and the Barn give us a legit shot to be an 11-1 / 12-0 team.
I deleted that part of my post, but just to give one example a poster in this thread specifically said Tua couldn't possibly do any worse. That was a quote, in this thread. I'm not sure how that can be construed anything other than just complete disrespect for Hurts. There were also threads here that have been locked and/or deleted that had some pretty pointed and unfair criticism. So, yes there are people, even here and certainly outside this forum trashing him. That doesn't mean everyone who thinks Tua should have a shot in the spring or what not is trashing Hurts though.
I think we can have plenty of legitimate debates about his use or misuse though and I've gone so far as to say that if Daboll insists on calling plays the way he is, perhaps Tua would be a better fit. But I see that more as a shortcoming of Daboll.
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How is saying Tua couldn't have done worse such a negative comment about Jalen? Jalen did what Jalen did. If some think Tua could have equalled or bettered Jalen's performance I'd say they have the right to think that, especially in light of Jalen's worst performance in a big game that we've seen.
I guess trashing a player means you can't give an honest assessment when he struggles?
No, if you are saying person A can not possibly do worse than person B in a given scenario, you are saying person A did the worst imaginable job. Come on now, Hurts struggled against Auburn but in what world is it an honest assessment to say he had the worst possible performance? It wasn't Tua probably does better. It wasn't I think Tua does better. It wasn't Tua probably does as good. It was he couldn't possibly do worse. If you don't see how pointed and disrespectful those comments were...
Well let me give an example. If you make a post and I tell you that someone else couldn't possibly make a worst post than the one you just made, are you really telling me you wouldn't take offense?
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I think you are taking it out of context. To say Tua wouldn't have done worse doesn't mean Jalen was absolutely terrible in the game. Nobody has said that. In this context, it would mean Tua might have been able to do better.
It literally means what he said:"He couldn't have done any worse.". That was the exact quote, but no sense in going in circles about this anymore. There couldn't possibly be a worst poster than you on Tidefans
If we play in a Bowl game that is not a playoff game perhaps Tua should be given some playing time, regardless of the score just to see what he can do. We will be playing a very good team no matter who it is so it would be a great test. Maybe something like Jalen 1st quarter, Tua 2nd quarter. If Tua does poorly we can play Jalen the entire second half to try and win the game.
I think there will be a quarterback competition in the spring. I think in theory you can't just "save your seat" so to speak from year to year. If someone else has outworked you in the offseason or what ever, he deserves a shot at the starting job.
But, it's really a whole lot to do that without the game in hand. Mind you, Alabama already shuffled Tua in, in blowouts. At this point I would actually question if they overdid that. I posted a couple of times it might have been better if they'd put Hurts into the game some and forced him to do certain things so he had to work on them. You know, take away his run, make him go through reads, that sort of thing. Instead Hurts came out, Tua came in, and I'd argue that might have set Hurts development back a bit as he sacrificed minutes. On one drive against Tennessee they seemed to be letting Hurts attack the middle of the field more, but it was one drive and he was out (it worked great by the way). The other takeaway though is that if Alabama was going to start Tua based on how he looked in games, they probably would have already done that.
I really think they are better served putting their energy into adjusting their offensive gameplan to better suit Hurts, and then they can have their quarterback battle in the spring. You can find out in the spring if Tua is your guy or not. But, I think it's time to adjust the offensive gameplan to insure it's not demanding Hurts do things he's not as good at. I know Daboll loves the deep pass, and slow developing routes, but that doesn't mean that's making the best use of Hurts abilities. They need to sort that out...
To give an example, his senior year Blake Sims attempted 350 passes. Jacob Coker attempted 393 passes. This year, Jalen Hurts attempted 223 passes. The thing is his passer efficiency rating is every bit as good as Coker or Sims. His freshman year he threw 382 passes. I think Alabama needs to figure out some passes better suited for Hurts (like the short stuff that Daboll completely ripped out of the playbook) and make him utilize them before they consider moving on. Right now they're trying to turn him into some sort of a hybrid, and I think it's too forced. Daboll wants to go deep, I know they want Hurts to develop as a pocket passer, but he can't be two different style quarterbacks at once. So stop sandbagging and unleash him.
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Simply start the QB that will give the team the best chance to win. That is what the Barn did when Stidham transferred. People can disagree who that person might be. It doesn't mean that you dislike the other player. Coach Bryant was questioned in his last Iron Bowl at halftime why he was playing Ken Coley at QB over Walter Lewis. He said "trying to win the game. Evey thing I do is trying to win the game. I don't have to apologize for who I play. I'm just trying to win the game."Unfortunately, Bama lost that game 23-22. Ultimately, it is Saban's decision and we have to trust they he will start the player who will give the team the best chance to win.
I don't believe this for a second. Saban almost had AJ leave Alabama because he wasn't getting playing time. He was playing behind GMac. Seriously, GMac couldn't carry AJ's jock, and AJ had to wait until he graduated to play. We all knew AJ was better - everyone knew AJ was better. Still, he waited. This is what Saban does, and always has done. Jalen is your starter until he leaves, IMO.
I would prefer that Jalen be asked to run a standard offense, and I think that he could be very successful doing so. I haven't given up on Jalen. He has had only one bad game as a QB.
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