Alabama QB competition article

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

B1GTide said:

Sorry, but Alabama played the most difficult schedule in the history of the sport in 2016. You lost to Clemson on the last play of the game. Let's not pretend that Jalen didn't really do anything. What he did was remarkable. What that entire team did was remarkable. Doesn't make Jalen a better QB than he is, but come on.

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I stand by the statement...look at it again....I'm not talking about the opposing teams as much as I'm talking about real competition at QB on his own team. He was allowed to play the whole 2016 season without having to come to grips with his weakness as a passing QB.

Now he can't do that because his competition at QB won't allow him to simply be physically gifted as a good runner. Tua's the competition.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

B1GTide said:

. You lost to Clemson on the last play of the game. Let's not pretend that Jalen didn't really do anything. .

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The circumstances of that game has been told and retold many times, but without going back to review again, I think the offense went 3 and out 9 times. I am pretty sure 3 and out 5 times straight in the 2nd half. We left the defense on the field too long. I think it was 99 plays, and that's wayy too many against a good Clemson offense. That defense held Clemson to 14 points for 3 quarters, and then, worn out, gave up 21 points in the 4th quarter. That defense also forced 2 turnovers on Clemson's side of the field, and the offense produced 3 whole points with it.

Bottom line is that defense played well enough most of the game to win. The offense faltered because we could not efficiently passed the ball. That's what beat us. Never mind that Clemson evidently played an error free game because they were not flagged a single time, but Jalen Hurts struggle to produce a passing offense, which is a trend vs good defenses, was the primary reason we lost. His favorite play that game was roll out back and to the right, out of the pocket, and chunk it to the sideline.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

My thought on the whole thing before I bow out once again.

I want to say that I've always had lot of respect for Jalen as a player for what he has done for the team and for the fans on and off the field. He is one unbelievable kid with great future ahead for him. His interview from the other day left me concerned and thought that it wasn't probably the right time to express his feelings, but still, I definitely understand how he felt about the whole thing. There's few things I noticed and agreed with per Cecil's article: https://www.tidesports.com/cecil-hurt-will-hurts-candid-conversation-help-or-hurt-him/

There was nothing wrong with Hurts facing the media on Saturday and giving direct, heartfelt answers to questions at a press conference. Alabama made him available — he didn’t go on a social media tirade or a secret crusade. He didn’t dodge or sidestep questions. You have to respect that.

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This time, the “No. 1 source” is Saban. Did he feel like Hurts called him out for not asking his opinion in the spring, or for telling the assemblage at SEC Media Days ”I have no idea” if Hurts would be present for the start of practice? (To be fair, Saban’s very next words were “I expect him to be there,” but that didn’t ring out quite so loudly.) My expectation is that Saban will be less outraged than people think, but not every hurricane makes landfall where you think it will.
There’s a perfectly plausible scenario, and always has been, in which Saban chooses to play Tagovailoa based on his belief that Tagovailoa gives the Alabama team a better chance to win football games. All this off-the-field drama may be irrelevant.
But Jalen Hurts wanted to talk. He spoke what he felt in his heart. Perhaps that will come with a cost, as it often does.

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Those two statements is something I agree with and I don't think it's an issue with the program at UA. It's possible that this may be over analyzed and I suspect Saban will downplay this and encourage us to move on from this in his usual rant way.

I will always support Jalen, but it is what it is at this point. I'm ready to move on from all of this and get our football season started!

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

BamaMoon said:

I stand by the statement...look at it again....I'm not talking about the opposing teams as much as I'm talking about real competition at QB on his own team. He was allowed to play the whole 2016 season without having to come to grips with his weakness as a passing QB.

Now he can't do that because his competition at QB won't allow him to simply be physically gifted as a good runner. Tua's the competition.

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Fair enough - I just hate to minimize his accomplishments that year. I just wonder if any true freshman QB could have done better against that schedule.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

Crimson White said:

The circumstances of that game has been told and retold many times, but without going back to review again, I think the offense went 3 and out 9 times. I am pretty sure 3 and out 5 times straight in the 2nd half. We left the defense on the field too long. I think it was 99 plays, and that's wayy too many against a good Clemson offense. That defense held Clemson to 14 points for 3 quarters, and then, worn out, gave up 21 points in the 4th quarter. That defense also forced 2 turnovers on Clemson's side of the field, and the offense produced 3 whole points with it.

Bottom line is that defense played well enough most of the game to win. The offense faltered because we could not efficiently passed the ball. That's what beat us. Never mind that Clemson evidently played an error free game because they were not flagged a single time, but Jalen Hurts struggle to produce a passing offense, which is a trend vs good defenses, was the primary reason we lost. His favorite play that game was roll out back and to the right, out of the pocket, and chunk it to the sideline.

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Had they converted at least half of those third downs.......and scored on at least one or two of them......made me sick

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

B1GTide said:

Sorry, but Alabama played the most difficult schedule in the history of the sport in 2016. You lost to Clemson on the last play of the game. Let's not pretend that Jalen didn't really do anything. What he did was remarkable. What that entire team did was remarkable. Doesn't make Jalen a better QB than he is, but come on.

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Most would admit that Jalen has many admirable qualities and has done a great deal for the team. I feel for the young man and his family, but football is a competitive sport and a team sport. What might be good for one player isn't necessarily good for the team. What is Jalen and his family entitled to? Every opportunity for him to compete for the starting QB job. I have not heard or read where these opportunities have not been afforded to him. Saban gave clear instructions what to do. Go grab the bull by the horns. Go out and win the team. That needed to done on the field. Jalen has had the opportunity to do this every since the NC game. So, now we come to the questions what does Jalen and his family want? What then can CNS do to assuage their hurt feelings?

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

B1GTide said:

Fair enough - I just hate to minimize his accomplishments that year. I just wonder if any true freshman QB could have done better against that schedule.

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Jalen and Kiffin were the perfect storm. Caught our opponents off guard alot that season. The way to adjust to his game was laid out in 2017 and with Tua showing off in practice and backup duty and then being a hero in the NC game, it explains where we are today.

Please understand I've admired Jalen's physical talents, quiet leadership and influence all along. He had an amazing, recordbreaking freshman season and I'm not trying to cast shade on it, except to put it in the context of he never faced stiff competition until last year when Tua came along.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

westide said:

Most would admit that Jalen has many admirable qualities and has done a great deal for the team. I feel for the young man and his family, but football is a competitive sport and a team sport. What might be good for one player isn't necessarily good for the team. What is Jalen and his family entitled to? Every opportunity for him to compete for the starting QB job. I have not heard or read where these opportunities have not been afforded to him. Saban gave clear instructions what to do. Go grab the bull by the horns. Go out and win the team. That needed to done on the field. Jalen has had the opportunity to do this every since the NC game. So, now we come to the question what does Jalen and his family want? What then can CNS do to assuage their hurt feelings?

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Yeah, don't get my support for Jalen wrong. Tua is the right guy and Jalen (and his family) should have just kept quiet. I just don't want all of his great work diminished.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

B1GTide said:

Yeah, don't get my support for Jalen wrong. Tua is the right guy and Jalen (and his family) should have just kept quiet. I just don't want all of his great work diminished.

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I understand your position and it is valid.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

B1GTide said:

Yeah, don't get my support for Jalen wrong. Tua is the right guy and Jalen (and his family) should have just kept quiet. I just don't want all of his great work diminished.

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This is what athletes (especially young athletes) need to remember. The things Jalen and his family have said are tarnishing his accomplishments. I’m afraid in the era of “helicopter parents”, this will be more frequent going forward.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

BamaMoon said:

Jalen and Kiffin were the perfect storm. Caught our opponents off guard alot that season. The way to adjust to his game was laid out in 2017 and with Tua showing off in practice and backup duty and then being a hero in the NC game, it explains where we are today.

Please understand I've admired Jalen's physical talents, quiet leadership and influence all along. He had an amazing, recordbreaking freshman season and I'm not trying to cast shade on it, except to put it in the context of he never faced stiff competition until last year when Tua came along.

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Jalen got diagnosed in 2016 against LSU. The rest of the teams on the schedule just didn't have the horses to implement what they did. That's the thing, not many teams do so we could win a lot with Jalen, but for the 3-4 teams we will face which have the right players in the right places, it's not that complex to stop. that's why Jalen looked so great for a lot of 2017 - at least stats wise - look deeper though into all the throws and how many times he didn't make the right throw, or even a completion where a WR has to break stride or stop to make the catch and think about how many of those would even happen against the playoff caliber teams...

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

BAMARICH said:

This is what athletes (especially young athletes) need to remember. The things Jalen and his family have said are tarnishing his accomplishments. I’m afraid in the era of “helicopter parents”, this will be more frequent going forward.

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LaVar Ball changed the game

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

BamaMoon said:

It could be that and/or (probably "and") that he had his dad as his coach.

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I was really speaking toward the 'generation' Buzzard refernence more than Jalen but it does somewhat apply also.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

Since multiple references have been made to the Clemson NC game loss: Jalen and the offense did have great problems with ball possession; Jalen's numbers were not good, but IIRC, there were 5 or 6 drops, including 3 on 3rd down that would have been conversions. It was an offensive team effort.

IMO, the primary reference was to the media, and maybe social media, when he said, "no one asked me". He then added, "even the coaches".

IMO, the communication that Jalen wanted should have been understood in CNS's continual proclamations that the job would be an open competition - that nothing had been decided. Having said that, I understand Jalen's bewilderment when after having told CNS in June that he would be with the team, CNS makes the "I don't know" statement, though CNS followed that immediately with his thought that he would be there. But I think CNS was just being snarky with the question when he said, "I don't know", that he wasn't really implying that he was unsure. But one can understand why a then super-sensitive Jalen would be taken aback by that. I know I was when I heard it - I thought it was a bit irresponsible. But we should cut people a little slack. From Jalen's POV he should have thought about all of CNS's support for him and his consistent claims of an open competition but it's not difficult to see how he might focus on the one statement.

As others have said regarding Jalen, hopefully the fans can be understanding, give the benefit of the doubt, realize a momentary lapse is not always an open window into someone's "real" thoughts, appreciate what he has done and the type of person he has been. He's out there practicing and doing well, so he has not quit. Hopefully, he'll have a happy birthday on Wed when he will transitions from being a teenager. Maybe Bama fans will recognize the moment.

CNS will likely be very understanding and gracious towards Jalen in his public statements. It will help diffuse what is left of an overstated "dilemma".

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

Someone brought this up earlier but did anyone noticed the body language on some of the WRs when Jalen either didn’t see them or overthrew the ball? I particularly look back to the 2016 Auburn game and Ardarius Stewart was wide open in the end zone and Jalen missed him and Stewart was not happy. I wonder did some of that play a part into Stewart leaving early.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

RammerJammer15 said:

Someone brought this up earlier but did anyone noticed the body language on some of the WRs when Jalen either didn’t see them or overthrew the ball? I particularly look back to the 2016 Auburn game and Ardarius Stewart was wide open in the end zone and Jalen missed him and Stewart was not happy. I wonder did some of that play a part into Stewart leaving early.

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Family and $.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

RammerJammer15 said:

Someone brought this up earlier but did anyone noticed the body language on some of the WRs when Jalen either didn’t see them or overthrew the ball? I particularly look back to the 2016 Auburn game and Ardarius Stewart was wide open in the end zone and Jalen missed him and Stewart was not happy. I wonder did some of that play a part into Stewart leaving early.

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Possibly. It's impossible to know unless the player comments.

IMO, though I completely understand the WR's frustration, it is not right for teammates to express their frustration with their teammates in public. If he is trying his best and simply can't perform, it's not right. As far as I know, even CNS never gets on a player who is out-run or out-athleted in some way, only when he does not do what he does know or should know to do. As far as we know, Jalen is very conscientious and tries to do the right thing. If he were lazy or didn't care that's one thing, but not if he is doing his best.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

Going back to read this article from the spring, I have a hard time believing Jalen was left in the dark about the situation. If Saban took the time to speak with Averion, why not Jalen? And if he didn’t, clearly Saban thought everything was good and would be handled privately.

https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2018/04/nick_saban_responds_to_story_a.html

Sorry I don’t know how to post the article itself.

Re: Alabama QB competition article (ALL QB posts here, please)

BamaInBham said:

Possibly. It's impossible to know unless the player comments.

IMO, though I completely understand the WR's frustration, it is not right for teammates to express their frustration with their teammates in public. If he is trying his best and simply can't perform, it's not right. As far as I know, even CNS never gets on a player who is out-run or out-athleted in some way, only when he does not do what he does know or should know to do. As far as we know, Jalen is very conscientious and tries to do the right thing. If he were lazy or didn't care that's one thing, but not if he is doing his best.

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Yeah I know, it’s not like Jalen is lazy or refuses to get better, he’s trying to be the best QB he can be but there are things that he misses in the passing game. I don’t think it’s fair to compare him to Tua though, with the right OC/QB Coach combination, Jalen could be even more successful then he has been, Tua could probably thrive in any offense though, they’re just two different type of QBs.