Alabama QB competition article

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,931
15,930
282
Boone, NC
Even the stats from yesterday's game were a bit deceiving as far as completions. Mac was placing his passes where the receiver could catch it in stride while most of Jalen's were behind the receiver causing them to come to a dead stop. The difference in 10+ yards or 3-5 yards or a drop. My guess is that CNS will think he can win with Mac if Tua goes down and let Jalen walk if that is what happens. I agree that Jalen's body language did not look good in the early going.
Good catch...no pun intended. Jones had a few balls he threw that were literally inches away from being big gainers that went incomplete because he threw them just out of the reach of the receiver. Point is he threw the ball where he thought the receiver would be and he just barely overcompensated...but it shows his sense of vision.

You are correct about Jalen throwing behind players. He's done it his whole time at Bama. He throws to where they are.
 

Intl.Aperture

All-American
Aug 12, 2015
3,681
23
57
Chesapeake, Virginia
[FONT=&quot]"Here's why. I think Jalen Hurts is consistent enough. No, he's not that greatest passer, but guess what? He's only been 24-2 (actually 26-2) as a starter. He understands how to run the offense.[/FONT]
I'm sick and tired of that starter number. If Najee Harris were to suddenly start getting #1 reps at the RB position, no one would say, "But Damien Harris is 26-2 as a starter!" I get that QB's carry a much more significant load than other positions, but we have won with some fairly mediocre to poor play at the QB position because of the strength of our whole team. When you are at Alabama, you don't get judged on your individual performance based on the team's overall record. That's just a lame argument. Additionally "understanding" how to run the offense is no longer a mutually exclusive attribute to Hurt. Tua knows how to run it as well. In fact, we have a new OC and a lot of new offensive staff - so they'll be learning the new info together at the same pace.

[FONT=&quot]"Yeah, he didn't look great at the A-Day," he said. "Guess what? He didn't look good last year at the A-Day and came on and started throughout the season."[/FONT]
Umm - yah - Hurts was 16 of 25 for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. We call came away from the game feeling MUCH better about Hurts' development. It turned out to be an illusion.

[FONT=&quot]"There a reason Nick hasn't come out and said, 'Hey, we're going with Tua.' Because he, honestly, doesn't know."[/FONT]
No - the reason Nick Saban hasn't come out and said one way or the other is so that he can retain both QB's for as long as possible. I don't think ANYONE on this board would be dumb enough to come out right now and announce a starter. We would all wait till the last second and play it out as long as possible to not only preserve the number of QB's on the roster but also just to see who does what over summer and then fall camp. Why make a public decision right now if you don't have to? Because apparently after over a full season of watching both QB's play in practice, games, and championships, Saban still doesn't know which one has the edge....cuz, you know, coach is pretty dumb like that.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
Booger's opinion making hasn't impressed me much but it will probably help him capture the commanding heights of ESPN sports commentary.
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
6
0
Prattville
Take Booger McFarland's opinion of an Alabama football team with less than a grain of salt. He's still on the hill he made last year after Dylan Moses flipped from LSU to Alabama: "He's not an ILB! He'll be an OLB in college!"

When Alabama went into Dime package Saturday, he tweeted "Remember when I told u guys Dylan Moses would be an OLB ? Guess what position he’s playing ?......" Well, duh. Rashaan Evans did the same thing.
 

Intl.Aperture

All-American
Aug 12, 2015
3,681
23
57
Chesapeake, Virginia
Booger and Tubs may both be right. If so, there are going to be a lot of disappointed fans on here.
Plenty of fans have said they expect Hurts to take the 1st snap against Louisville, I'm one of them. But I think there is a very slim chance that Hurts is still QB 1 by the 3rd game. That's what Boog was saying. OH, sure they'll trade on and off but Hurts will still be the leader of the offense in his opinion.

I just don't see it. Despite everything everyone is saying about Mac Jones vs the #2 defense, it sure seemed like Coach valued what he was able to do as opposed to Jalen. That was straight from his mouth. Whether he knew the mic was live or not he said it, and he's not going to lie just to prove a point. He wants his QB to be able to spread the ball around through the air.

Sure, he trusts Jalen not to turn the ball over. He trusts him to have game awareness (not take delay of game penalties, be aware of the clock and field position, etc) but these are all things that Tua can learn to do as well.Those are teachable techniques. Passing the ball like Tua isn't nearly as teachable. Coach said it himself that Tua is a very instinctive passer - that's an intangible. Is it likely that Tua has more than 1 int. at the end of the year if he starts? It's almost a guarantee. But I'd wager we move the ball more consistently and score more points. That is a gamble.
 

TD7

Scout Team
Nov 30, 2017
188
502
117
I'm sick and tired of that starter number. If Najee Harris were to suddenly start getting #1 reps at the RB position, no one would say, "But Damien Harris is 26-2 as a starter!" I get that QB's carry a much more significant load than other positions, but we have won with some fairly mediocre to poor play at the QB position because of the strength of our whole team. When you are at Alabama, you don't get judged on your individual performance based on the team's overall record. That's just a lame argument. Additionally "understanding" how to run the offense is no longer a mutually exclusive attribute to Hurt. Tua knows how to run it as well. In fact, we have a new OC and a lot of new offensive staff - so they'll be learning the new info together at the same pace.


Umm - yah - Hurts was 16 of 25 for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. We call came away from the game feeling MUCH better about Hurts' development. It turned out to be an illusion.


No - the reason Nick Saban hasn't come out and said one way or the other is so that he can retain both QB's for as long as possible. I don't think ANYONE on this board would be dumb enough to come out right now and announce a starter. We would all wait till the last second and play it out as long as possible to not only preserve the number of QB's on the roster but also just to see who does what over summer and then fall camp. Why make a public decision right now if you don't have to? Because apparently after over a full season of watching both QB's play in practice, games, and championships, Saban still doesn't know which one has the edge....cuz, you know, coach is pretty dumb like that.
Great post, and spot on!
 

westide

All-SEC
Jan 22, 2011
1,839
1,036
187
Booger said Hurts was consistent enough. Enough for what? Not beating the Barn. Not beating Gaja. Not consistent enough to keep from eating pork and beans. I wish Jalen the best, but as Yogi Bera said, "he is consistently inconsistent." Saban tells young players if you are good enough and put in the work you will play. That is the way it should be. It isn't about seniority. It is about who is the best player. If Booger thinks Jalen is a better QB than Tua then he needs to go sale cars for a living.
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,557
18,302
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
I'm sick and tired of that starter number. If Najee Harris were to suddenly start getting #1 reps at the RB position, no one would say, "But Damien Harris is 26-2 as a starter!" I get that QB's carry a much more significant load than other positions, but we have won with some fairly mediocre to poor play at the QB position because of the strength of our whole team. When you are at Alabama, you don't get judged on your individual performance based on the team's overall record. That's just a lame argument. Additionally "understanding" how to run the offense is no longer a mutually exclusive attribute to Hurt. Tua knows how to run it as well. In fact, we have a new OC and a lot of new offensive staff - so they'll be learning the new info together at the same pace.


Umm - yah - Hurts was 16 of 25 for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. We call came away from the game feeling MUCH better about Hurts' development. It turned out to be an illusion.


No - the reason Nick Saban hasn't come out and said one way or the other is so that he can retain both QB's for as long as possible. I don't think ANYONE on this board would be dumb enough to come out right now and announce a starter. We would all wait till the last second and play it out as long as possible to not only preserve the number of QB's on the roster but also just to see who does what over summer and then fall camp. Why make a public decision right now if you don't have to? Because apparently after over a full season of watching both QB's play in practice, games, and championships, Saban still doesn't know which one has the edge....cuz, you know, coach is pretty dumb like that.
The more I hear McFarland's take (on anything football related) the less he impresses me.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
I really don't like leaning on that 26-2 record because there just aren't many teams on the schedule that can even beat Alabama with a subpar quarterback due to the sheer talent deficits.

Here are the games where we played a team with enough talent to beat us under Hurts:

2016 Ole Miss (21 points scored by special teams returns and defense)
2016 LSU (offense scored 10 points)
2016 Texas A&M
2016 Washington (offense scored 17 points)
2016 Clemson L
2017 FSU (10 of 24 points off special teams turnovers)
2017 Mississippi State (Hurts best game at Alabama)
2017 Auburn L
2017 Clemson (7 points from defense, another 7 off a turnover influenced field position; 24 total points)


So 9 games out of 28 starts Hurts faced a team that we didn't roll off the bus completely out-matching the opponent. His 7-2 record in these games is not terrible but the context for each of these games is that the offense didn't always carry their own weight and the difference in the game were scores off field position created by turnovers or the special teams and defense directly. I will say that the Ole Miss game was big for Hurts. He probably won the job for the season that day after he picked himself up and led the team right down the field after going down 24-7.

If a sports writer is just looking at the overall record and statistical efficiency of Hurts, I don't have much use for their opinion. Particularly funny when you consider these types will be the first to shout that the dynasty is dead after any loss yet they actively implore the fans to not focus too much on a few losses and bad performances.

Edit: Forgot the 2017 Mississippi State game which is definitely Hurts' best game.
 
Last edited:

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
The worst sports writer/comentator trope is the 'no-skin-in-the-game' opinions directed at partisans (fans) that often amount to nothing more than "you should expect less" then the about face to mortal panic when team does less than expected.
 

Con

Hall of Fame
Dec 19, 2006
6,398
4,230
187
Northern Hemisphere
I love watching Alabama football, but last year it was so painful watching games because of the offense's inconsistency I rarely watched the game more than the original air time. I usually watch them at least twice during the week after a game. I did watch the National Title Game because the offense looked better in the second half.
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
45,499
46,842
187
I love watching Alabama football, but last year it was so painful watching games because of the offense's inconsistency I rarely watched the game more than the original air time. I usually watch them at least twice during the week after a game. I did watch the National Title Game because the offense looked better in the second half.
Really? The offense only struggled in a few games. Most games were over at half time.
 

RollTide_HTTR

Hall of Fame
Feb 22, 2017
8,765
6,532
187
I really don't like leaning on that 26-2 record because there just aren't many teams on the schedule that can even beat Alabama with a subpar quarterback due to the sheer talent deficits.

Here are the games where we played a team with enough talent to beat us under Hurts:

2016 Ole Miss (21 points scored by special teams returns and defense)
2016 LSU (offense scored 10 points)
2016 Texas A&M
2016 Washington (offense scored 17 points)
2016 Clemson L
2017 FSU (10 of 24 points off special teams turnovers)
2017 Auburn L
2017 Clemson (7 points from defense, another 7 off a turnover influenced field position; 24 total points)


So 8 games out of 28 starts Hurts faced a team that we didn't roll off the bus completely out-matching the opponent. His 6-2 record in these games is not terrible but the context for each of these games is that the offense didn't always carry their own weight and the difference in the game were scores off field position created by turnovers or the special teams and defense directly. I will say that the Ole Miss game was big for Hurts. He probably won the job for the season that day after he picked himself up and led the team right down the field after going down 24-7.

If a sports writer is just looking at the overall record and statistical efficiency of Hurts, I don't have much use for their opinion. Particularly funny when you consider these types will be the first to shout that the dynasty is dead after any loss yet they actively implore the fans to not focus too much on a few losses and bad performances.
This is a great breakdown. I've been wanting to do something similar and I'm really glad I don't have to now. We could probably take it even further and comment on how Bo was basically our entire offense vs Washington(180 yards and 2 TDs). I still like Jalen but that 26-2 is at best misleading.
 

CrimsonProf

Hall of Fame
Dec 30, 2006
5,716
69
67
Birmingham, Alabama
Really? The offense only struggled in a few games. Most games were over at half time.

Even when we won big, the offense looked at out of sync most of the year. It would be easy to chalk it up to a coaching change, but after seeing Jalen drift to the right all day Saturday, we know the cause. I thought the offense looked bad in several games - FSU, Arkansas, TAMU, LSU, MSU, Auburn and even Clemson. We were playing with fire all year.
 

Intl.Aperture

All-American
Aug 12, 2015
3,681
23
57
Chesapeake, Virginia
Even when we won big, the offense looked at out of sync most of the year. It would be easy to chalk it up to a coaching change, but after seeing Jalen drift to the right all day Saturday, we know the cause. I thought the offense looked bad in several games - FSU, Arkansas, TAMU, LSU, MSU, Auburn and even Clemson. We were playing with fire all year.
Very streaky. Explosive because of our talent but not consistent at all.

I'm reminded of the 2015 offense by the end of the season. By the time our opponents thought, "Oh, if we slow down Derrick Henry, we'll crush Alabama." Coker was comfortable enough in the offense to shred them.

At the beginning of the 2015 season our offense was very similar to this 2017 version. Streaky and explosive. That slog of an Arkansas game really exposed that reality. By the time we realized what we had in Henry, (I want to say around the TAMU game) people couldn't stop it. Remember that awesome LSU game where Henry just ground the defense into a powder to close out the contest? Epic. But I also remember Henry being held largely in check during the Florida, MSU, and Clemson games. He didn't play horrible, but we couldn't ride him to victory. They had game-planned for our strength and if we hadn't been able to adapt and hurt them through the air, we could have lost at least 2 of those games. Those games showed just how much Coker had developed in the passing game. He had some of the biggest throws in the history of Alabama football during those games.

That's when we became more consistent, more demoralizing. (BTW, this is NOT a comparison between Coker and Hurts - they are apples and oranges types of players. It's more a comparison of offensive performance based on what type of plays we could consistently execute)
 

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.