Alabama QB competition article

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

Can't believe I'm saying this but I completely agree with Steven Smith. Why is there this farce of a competition? Why drag it out just for the sake of appearances? Maybe Saban has "processed" himself and believes the coach speak coming out of his mouth but subconsciously he knows Tua is his starter.

I'll eat my hat if Tua is not the starter and would not blame him for one second for transferring if he is not. Jalen has a decision to make. Does he want to be a backup at Alabama and/or explore other rolls in helping the team or does he want to go play QB somewhere else. Neither is a wrong decision and only he will know what's right for him.

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.

Click to expand...

I remember a few instances of Calvin Ridley being visibly irritated and throwing his hands up

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

RammerJammer15 said:

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.

Click to expand...

This is very similar to what I have expressed before. Jalen could be a great college QB in a different type of system. I think he has expressed the desire to play in the NFL, though, so I assume he came to Bama to play in an NFL style system. He did not seem to want to play in an RPO type of offense, but I imagine that is exactly what will happen to him if he does decide to transfer somewhere else after this year. Some of those RPO guys have gotten chances in the NFL when they put up huge numbers in college. Most of them have not fared well in the league, but they did get a shot. Who knows, maybe he will continue to develop and get a shot either way. Regardless, my only interest is Bama being as good as we can be. As long as he is working toward that goal, he should be fine. If he is not on board with that, I hope he leaves sooner rather than later. He has had two fantastic seasons with us, so I hope he sticks it out and helps us have another.

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

TIDE-HSV said:

I commented on this some ten pages above. Saban is deadly serious with his philosophy about the past, present and future. By his lights, he gave the only honest answer and one consistent with his POV. And, as I said above, Jalen doesn't really know either. None of us do...

Click to expand...

I agree - he was being brutally honest.

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

Food for thought:

I have gone back through the series of events from the NC game to today. There may be another senario at play that we all are not privy too. Lets just “assume” for a minute that there are some disagreements within the Hurts household. It is very possible both Jalen and his mother were not happy with his father’s comments this spring. This could have created a lot more tension at home, especially if there was already some issues. Follow that with Sabans comments about Jalen and then Jalen going to talk to Saban and set things straight about him not leaving. Now the QB battle begins and the fans and media are annointing Tua as the starter even before the competition has really begun. Jalen gets an opportunity to speak to the media and says some things that he should have kept behind closed doors.

And when the fan/media backlash came from those comments, mom comes to the rescue. Go back and listen to her comments. I am pretty sure she never mentioned anything about “us or we” as related to Jalen’s father. She didnt mention him directly either. She did make a couple interesting or intriguing comments about things going on that they have delt with that we would likely never know about. We assumed she meant within the program and team. Could she have meant something totally different? Family termoil with the father? Was she trying to take up for her son and protect him from the negative view his father created in the spring without exposing their private issues?

We have to remember, no negativity ever came from Jalen after then NC or during the spring. That was all the father’s conversation with Saban. Up until that point Jalen and his family had been class acts over and above most. Jalen is not likley to throw his father under the bus even if there were issues. But its possible he is upset with him more than anything and his frustration and feelings got displaced onto the coaches.

IMO there is more to all this than what has been said in public to this point. Jalens comments were something we had never seen before from him and out of frustration and hurt feelings. Those could very well have been building up from some external issues that we dont know about. Just an angle that I had not even contemplated until today.

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

Redwood Forrest said:

This probably has been pointed out (I have been really busy and haven't read al the pages from the past week) but in case it hasn't I thought this was a good comment about lack of communication to the QB by Bama staff. "Saban has communicated what the always communicates, the QB will have to win the team either in practice or in the game. Saban has said that several times every year, including 2018. So why the suggestion that there is no communication?"

Click to expand...

I honestly think the only communication Jalen wanted to hear is "You're guaranteed the starting QB job." When Coach Saban did not say that, Jalen was obviously disappointed.

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

davefrat said:

Is it common for this staff (or any staff for that matter) to ask players how they are feeling about closely contested position battles?
Is that even a legitimate gripe?

Click to expand...

As a coach I would ask questions like: how are you progressing with your ACADEMIC subjects? Are you looking at a possible post-graduate degree?
Do you feel that you have a better grasp of the playbook? Do you think you see the field and the defense lining up against you better than in the past?
How do you FEEL as ONE of the MOST important LEADERS on this year's team? Do you feel that you can be an even better leader, especially of the younger players?
You look like you did a great job in the off-season in the weight room in getting conditioned better for the fall. How do you FEEL you are doing in this area? Finally, how's your family (mother, father, brother/s, and sister/s , if any.

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 questions what does Jalen and his family want? What then can CNS do to assuage their hurt feelings?

Click to expand...

Excellent post. Thank you.

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.

Click to expand...

What he did in 2016 as a first year freshman was OUTSTANDING. What he did in almost all games in 2017 was OUTSTANDING. Did he grow any between 2016 and 2017 in the passing game??????? Did the QB coaches 2016 and 2017 do a great job of TEACHING him how to better read coverages, etc? If he made a bad play, it did not seem to have any negative effect. It was just NEXT play.

I think in 2017, many teams, especially: Mississippi State, Auburn, and Georgia knew better how to prepare for a Jalen lead team and knew his tendencies much better than in 2016. I loved watching him run, hand off, but cringed at many of his passes not being on target, his running out of bounds for losses when he could have just thrown it away so we wouldn't lose yardage (if he could NOT find an open 1st receiver, 2nd and 3rd receiver). I was very proud of him being Alabama's QB because he showed lots of CLASS. I'm still internalizing how he responded to reporters on Saturday.

Sometimes, the best thing you can say is with your PERFORMANCE on the field. 26 - 2 isn't bad at all. In the Georgia game, I told my son at halftime that Coach Saban had to make a change. Should he have made that change before the Mississippi State game? Well, we were UNDEFEATED. How about at halftime of the Auburn game? Well, he brought us back in that MSU game. Even Coach Bryant lost to Mississippi State 6 to 3 many moons ago.

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

westide said:

What happens if Jalen stays and doesn't get the playing time he thinks he deserves? What concerns me is whether Jalen and his family will continue to vent and push the narrative that some how he has not been treated fairly. If this happens they become a thorn in the side of the program and anything good Jalen does on the field will be far outweighed by the negativity generated off the field.

Click to expand...

I agree. When mom and dad insert themselves into these situations, it usually does not end well. I hate it has come to this, but Saban is going to play the best he has at any position on the field. It doesn't always mean the most talented athlete gets the nod because it often takes time to learn the given position. But, Tua is ready. If Hurts could read the whole field and throw accurately in passing situations, he would clearly be the starter in September. Unfortunately, he is not capable of accomplishing that. I believe this is a God given trait that can't be taught: you either have it or you don't.

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

The only advice I can give Jalen and his family at this point if he is indeed going to be a free agent at the end of the season he needs to start acting like a free agent some other team would want to lead their team. Which is to say, start acting like a team player who wants to win at all costs regardless who gets the ball or the credit rather than a prima donna. Sure he will have lots of teams to pick from but other elite teams will consider the baggage created by his parents and the "me" media drama.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

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

great points by Smith telling it like it is as always..could someone tell me why that lady is on the show discussing sports? she has awful takes

crimsonaudio said:

Click to expand...

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

gamersfuel said:

great points by Smith telling it like it is as always..could someone tell me why that lady is on the show discussing sports? she has awful takes

Click to expand...

Two comments.
1. Smith sounds like the preacher at the AME Zion Church. Very passionate. But I do not think he is wrong. I'm sure Jalen's father was throwing things at the TV if he was watching, but Smith is right.
2. I'm glad I don't have cable. The quality of that broadcast makes me glad I ain't paying for it.

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

TiderinAZ said:

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.

Click to expand...

I think Jalen was referring to his dad when he said "He said this and Coach Saban said that" "What did Jalen say". I took that as him saying he wants to speak for himself. One of the reasons possibly that we didn't hear Jalen respond to his father is he was not allowed to. I get the feeling he knows his dad put him in a untenable situation. I bet like any son he loves and respects his dad. Pops has gone radio silent since those comments. Perhaps Jalen talked to him even though he was not allowed to say anything publicly. Jalen had a 10% chance of winning the job, that went down to 5% after his dad spoke and .0001% after he spoke.

I have a son. I pray God gives me the insight and strength to not do or say something that puts his career in jeopardy.

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

Keeter said:

I saw that segment, and it was pretty rough.......but he made some valid points.

Click to expand...

Seems to me that Jalen is still struggling... and that is without a good Defense coming after him.
I hate it, but looks like he has hit a plateau in his performance.

Hearing Jalen's comments made me wonder if this is a preemptive excuse for not winning the starting job. I really hate that.

Jalen would have been better served to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT.
I heard his comments and it sounded like it was coming out of his Dad's mouth.

Things Jalen said will not endure him to the team, or the coaching staff, and most of all to coach Saban. I have been a big supporter of Jalen, but to me it sounded like he is making excuses for maybe not being the MAN. I didn't like it at all.

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

Anyone else hear Aaron Suttles say that Jalen went out of his way to get a mic on Saturday?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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

Remember when Tua was asked why he came to a school where has to compete with the reigning SEC offensive player of the year? He simply replied that he wanted to compete with the best of the best. True warrior, iron sharpens iron. We’ve not seen the true potential of this kid... even during the National Championship game. Could Dan Enos (a different and hugely qualified perspective) be re-affirming to Saban what Daboll was screaming about Tua last year? Did the coaches shift Jalen from the starters to the second string and this is when he relized it? Did he then grasp at the opportunity to make a statement with his back against the wall? Just saying, no way those comments came out on Saturday if he knew he had a great chance of being the starter... Saban mentioned that practice is going good and he never mentions that. Tua is the clear starter in my eyes.

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

On the SEC Now show the other guy (not Dari) said he watched the QBs @ Manning camp and Jalen was clearly at the bottom. He said he looked like a QB who has lost his confidence.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk