Alabama QB competition article

gtgilbert

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And I think the decision will also have a big impact on Bama's running game. With Jalen at QB, defenses crowded the line and dared Bama to throw. With a more serious threat at QB, you have to back out of the box a bit and that opens running lanes for Damien, Najee & Co.
Time will tell.
If I was Jalen's father, I'd be asking NFL scouts to look at my son's measurables and film and given him some hard but honest advice as to where his future lies. Tim Tebow rode his "I refuse to play any position but QB" strategy all the way to the sidelines of SEC football games as a commentator. Antwaan Randle El had a successful NFL career as a receiver.
That's good advise. As great of an athlete as he is, I'd imagine he's got the foundation to be able to make the transition to a couple different positions.
 

BamaMoon

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I don't think you'll need to utilize his running threats as much due to his passing game but running over that defender in the Georgia game was probably something most QBs would attempt in that situation given youre in the midst of a possible game winning drive. There will be times when that toughness is needed
Oh yea I agree. I just hope he doesn't do it against someone like Mercer.
I really think we'd be just fine eliminating any called qb runs with Tua under center. I think we're going to be amazed at how much he will open up the offensive running lanes for our running backs because teams will be forced to honestly cover the entire field.

Tua will have to scramble and run some...that's football, but not anywhere like we did with Jalen. And yes, in a crunch sitation, run a naked bootleg or a QB draw, but only when the defense is not looking for it. His legs are good and he'll make yardage in those situations.

Foremost, let that boy spin that ball from the pocket. That's what he does!!!
 

JTBama

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I really think we'd be just fine eliminating any called qb runs with Tua under center. I think we're going to be amazed at how much he will open up the offensive running lanes for our running backs because teams will be forced to honestly cover the entire field.

Tua will have to scramble and run some...that's football, but not anywhere like we did with Jalen. And yes, in a crunch sitation, run a naked bootleg or a QB draw, but only when the defense is not looking for it. His legs are good and he'll make yardage in those situations.

Foremost, let that boy spin that ball from the pocket. That's what he does!!!
The important thing is, he's got the wheels if needed:)
 

Crimson White

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Thing is, Jalen will have a good spring, like last year, but in real live games, against good defenses whose real intent is to take his head off, he'll struggle. When he's doing well in spring practices or scrimmages, though, some people will think he's all of a sudden better.
 

B1GTide

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I really think we'd be just fine eliminating any called qb runs with Tua under center. I think we're going to be amazed at how much he will open up the offensive running lanes for our running backs because teams will be forced to honestly cover the entire field.

Tua will have to scramble and run some...that's football, but not anywhere like we did with Jalen. And yes, in a crunch sitation, run a naked bootleg or a QB draw, but only when the defense is not looking for it. His legs are good and he'll make yardage in those situations.

Foremost, let that boy spin that ball from the pocket. That's what he does!!!
I think that you underestimate the value of having a QB who is a threat to run, running an offense that has him as a designed runner out of the same formations from which he can either hand the ball off or drop back to pass. Even the NFL has begun to adopt RPO plays because they really make plays more difficult to defend. Remove the designed QB runs and you make the job much easier for the defense.
 

BearFan

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And I think the decision will also have a big impact on Bama's running game. With Jalen at QB, defenses crowded the line and dared Bama to throw. With a more serious threat at QB, you have to back out of the box a bit and that opens running lanes for Damien, Najee & Co.
Time will tell.
If I was Jalen's father, I'd be asking NFL scouts to look at my son's measurables and film and given him some hard but honest advice as to where his future lies. Tim Tebow rode his "I refuse to play any position but QB" strategy all the way to the sidelines of SEC football games as a commentator. Antwaan Randle El had a successful NFL career as a receiver.
I am in 100% agreement with these points. Running game will definitely take off with Tua handing off to actual running backs, who will now find real holes to run through, with the defenses backed off the LOS to respect our passing attack.

Nearly impossible for me to believe Jalen can suddenly change his MO. IMO, he needs to select the best alternative position, if he aspires to play in the NFL. I love Jalen and hope he stays at Bama regardless. But, the offense will be much more multifunctional with Tua. And, we will need the offense to carry the load next year until the defense comes around with more experience.
 

AlexanderFan

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Like everyone here, I want nothing more than a repeat of a championship season, then another, then another. But I will say that just because Tua had the magic hand against Georgia doesn't mean he is going to win the Heisman. Once people have film on him and gameplan for his abilities he will have days where he does not get to be the highlight reel, but of course, that's why the other 84 guys are there, right?

I don't expect CNS to say one word about who is going to start against Louisville, period. Not even the day of the game. I think you are going to see another McCarron/Simms deal where he will just say that we have good qb's who we have trust in and leave it at that. If one of these guys is going to transfer it will not be because of anything Coach says publicly.

rtr
Tell me how you game plan for accurate throws, looking off safeties, and understanding defenses. That's what a quarterback does. We've forgotten that because frankly the last one we had was AJ. That offense was almost unstoppable. He knew defenses and changed plays and therefore began to dictate the pace of the game. Tua has shown the potential to be the same. There is no game plan to stop execution, it comes down to your guy being better than our guy. I like our chances in those battles.


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Bamabuzzard

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I think that you underestimate the value of having a QB who is a threat to run, running an offense that has him as a designed runner out of the same formations from which he can either hand the ball off or drop back to pass. Even the NFL has begun to adopt RPO plays because they really make plays more difficult to defend. Remove the designed QB runs and you make the job much easier for the defense.
Agreed, I'd just add with any designed runs, they need to be done in a judicious manner. They need to be ran enough for the other team to have to spend practice time defending it and it's in the back of their minds. But not so much that they aren't surprised or caught off guard when we do it.
 

BamaMoon

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I think that you underestimate the value of having a QB who is a threat to run, running an offense that has him as a designed runner out of the same formations from which he can either hand the ball off or drop back to pass. Even the NFL has begun to adopt RPO plays because they really make plays more difficult to defend. Remove the designed QB runs and you make the job much easier for the defense.
Or maybe the state of QB play in the NFL is suffering from a lack of true, drop back, pocket passers coming out of college. I think we've seen so much of this RPO stuff in recent years in college that we've forgotten what a qb that beats people with his knowledge of the game, pocket presence and arm talent really looks like.

You may be correct and I could be underestimating the RPO impact. Not doubting for a moment that Tua can do it, either. But, my point is I think we'd be just fine running a standard pro-set offense with a player like Tua.

I think CNS has experimented with the dual threat QB since AJ, but based on his recents comments, I think he's moving back toward his preference of a tactician at QB.
 

BamaMoon

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Tell me how you game plan for accurate throws, looking off safeties, and understanding defenses. That's what a quarterback does. We've forgotten that because frankly the last one we had was AJ. That offense was almost unstoppable. He knew defenses and changed plays and therefore began to dictate the pace of the game. Tua has shown the potential to be the same. There is no game plan to stop execution, it comes down to your guy being better than our guy. I like our chances in those battles.


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This! Didn't see your post before I posted.
 

BamaMoon

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Agreed, I'd just add with any designed runs, they need to be done in a judicious manner. They need to be ran enough for the other team to have to spend practice time defending it and it's in the back of their minds. But not so much that they aren't surprised or caught off guard when we do it.
This is what I was referring to earlier. We don't need a QB having 10 rushes a game. 1 or 2 that keeps the defense honest with a QB like Tua would be just fine IMO.
 

Crimson White

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Tell me how you game plan for accurate throws, looking off safeties, and understanding defenses. That's what a quarterback does. We've forgotten that because frankly the last one we had was AJ. That offense was almost unstoppable. He knew defenses and changed plays and therefore began to dictate the pace of the game. Tua has shown the potential to be the same. There is no game plan to stop execution, it comes down to your guy being better than our guy. I like our chances in those battles.


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Plus, Tagovailoa could actually read the defenses and he was a true freshman.
 

B1GTide

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This is what I was referring to earlier. We don't need a QB having 10 rushes a game. 1 or 2 that keeps the defense honest with a QB like Tua would be just fine IMO.
I agree that the 15 that Jalen ran was too many, but 2 would be too few. Defenses would spend zero time preparing for that, and the defenders would just accept a few longer runs from Tua if they only happened twice per game. In other words, you either have your QB run the ball 5+ times/game, or you scrap it altogether. I just don't see Saban scrapping it altogether. It is too valuable a weapon.

You can't be afraid of injury. Part of Tua's game is his ability to run the ball. You make him a weaker QB if you take that away.
 

BamaMoon

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Part of Tua's game is his ability to run the ball. You make him a weaker QB if you take that away.
I'll have to totally disagree with you on this. He doesn't need to be able to "run" to be a great QB. Unplanned scrambles aside, Tua can be a great, drop back passer if he's never asked to run a RPO.
 

B1GTide

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I'll have to totally disagree with you on this. He doesn't need to be able to "run" to be a great QB. Unplanned scrambles aside, Tua can be a great, drop back passer if he's never asked to run a RPO.
Nope - he is too short. Move him around or he will get 5+ passes knocked down at the LOS every time he faces a decent defensive line.

ETA - we just have to agree to disagree. You want Tua to become a different player. He is great just the way he is. Let him play.
 
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RollTide_HTTR

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Nope - he is too short. Move him around or he will get 5+ passes knocked down at the LOS every time he faces a decent defensive line.
I'll have to totally disagree with you on this. He doesn't need to be able to "run" to be a great QB. Unplanned scrambles aside, Tua can be a great, drop back passer if he's never asked to run a RPO.


Tua can be a great QB with out the RPO. Tua can also use his mobility and be moved around without the RPO. That said, taking away the RPO and read option game completely also makes Tua a worse QB. All of those things can be and are true.
 

BamaMoon

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Nope - he is too short. Move him around or he will get 5+ passes knocked down at the LOS every time he faces a decent defensive line.
Again, I disagree. I think you are underestimating his pocket presence, footwork and vision. He's beyond his years in everyone of these areas.
 

B1GTide

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Again, I disagree. I think you are underestimating his pocket presence, footwork and vision. He's beyond his years in everyone of these areas.
It's fine that we disagree. I am not tearing Tua down by pointing out his strengths. I am just making it clear that I believe that he will need to leverage ALL of those strengths to have success against the better defenses in college. He is just too short to be a successful pocket passer, IMO. Even Mayfield does not throw from a pocket because of his height, and he plays in a league that barely fields defensive units.
 

Wilson Monroe

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Nope - he is too short. Move him around or he will get 5+ passes knocked down at the LOS every time he faces a decent defensive line.
I hope you are wrong. I think people said the same about Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. Maybe Tua will fall into that category that bucks the thinking that a good QB has to be 6'4"+. He looked pretty darn good against Georgia, and their D-Line was pretty high up there last year. Wish we could have seen him some against Clemson's D-Line. Perhaps his super fast release will keep D-Linemen from getting their hands up in time?

I doubt there is much competition for the position. Jalen isn't a bad QB and I like him a lot. Tua just has an unbelievable ability to throw to a spot because he sees where everyone will be. We've seen him manipulate coverage to open receivers up also. Jalen does ok at this, but Tua is light years ahead of everyone in the NCAA at this skill. I don't think Jalen has anything to be ashamed of if he is beaten out by a probable phenom.
 

B1GTide

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I hope you are wrong. I think people said the same about Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. Maybe Tua will fall into that category that bucks the thinking that a good QB has to be 6'4"+. He looked pretty darn good against Georgia, and their D-Line was pretty high up there last year. Wish we could have seen him some against Clemson's D-Line. Perhaps his super fast release will keep D-Linemen from getting their hands up in time?
The Saints run a very different type of offense to leverage Brees with his height restrictions. They throw to RBs more than any other team in the history of the game, and they create passing "lanes" in their blocking schemes to allow for his shorter passing routes. Long pass routes are not impacted by QB height since the ball comes out of the hand with a much higher trajectory.

The same can essentially be said for Wilson - very different offensive plays called to minimize his height restrictions.

Also, remember that several of Tua's best plays against GA were running plays. He converted several 3rd downs with his legs in that game. Do we really want to take that away just to make him into a "pocket passer"?
 

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