Nick Saban plans to keep playing both Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts all season

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
63,414
67,193
462
crimsonaudio.net
"I understand how unique a situation this is," Saban said. "I don't know of any other precedent at any time in college football where a guy started 28 games, won 26 of them and then somebody took his place. That's never happened. So that's hard for Jalen, and it's hard for me. I'm a loyal guy and loyal to the guys who get out there and lay it on the line for you. You want to be fair to all of your players, but you also want to be fair to your team.

"We needed both quarterbacks last year, and we'll need them both again this year."

With the NCAA's new redshirt rules, a player can play up to four games in a season and still keep his redshirt year. Hurts is on track to graduate in December and could transfer and play immediately somewhere else next season as a graduate transfer. There has been some speculation that he could choose to play only in an emergency situation after Saturday's game against No. 22 Texas A&M, which would be the fourth game of the season for Alabama. That way, he would still have two years of eligibility remaining if he did choose to transfer.

Saban acknowledged having discussions with Hurts at the beginning of the season regarding various scenarios, but said Hurts has been nothing but team-oriented.

"Every time I've talked to Jalen since the season started, he's said, 'Coach, I want to play,' and has never said otherwise," Saban said. "He's done everything we've asked him to do. He's never asked not to play in a game. He says he's ready to play and has practiced well and prepared well. Jalen's a competitor, and the kids on this team respect him. They respect both quarterbacks.

"And I think it says a lot about both kids that neither one of them has ever said a bad word about the other."
Nick Saban plans to keep playing both Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts all season

This kind of thing makes me want to gush about how amazing both of these young men are. Goodness, what did we do to deserve both Tua and Jalen? RTR
 

KrAzY3

Hall of Fame
Jan 18, 2006
10,615
4,540
187
44
kraizy.art
If things keep going the way they are, it will be fantastic. I would expect to see things evolve more towards traditional starter and backup roles, but as that happens I think that opens the window more for a Hurts package, for short yardage situations and the like. Yes, I would like to see Tua win a Heisman and put up jaw dropping stats, but even more than that I'd like to see him healthy and I also like having a solid backup plan.
 

Skeeterpop

Hall of Fame
Jul 18, 2008
5,651
27
67
It still won’t be put to bed until Jalen plays in game 5. Even then they’ll still talk.
This is when the haters will come out of the wood work trying to tear down Saban and this team. Jalen will likely have to speak up and protect his coach and let everyone know this was his decision. We will need Jalen before the season is over and he is getting better and better. I am glad we have that depth at the position.
 

saturdaysarebet

3rd Team
Jul 26, 2018
222
24
42
I think part of it is CNS worrying if Tua should get hurt and by giving Hurts playing time each week it keeps him sharp. That's a wise move.
 

Saban4Ever

All-American
Sep 27, 2016
3,768
2,913
187
Cobb County GA
I am glad it seems Jalen will stay this year. That was a good article. I love them both, but Tua needs to play at least 3 quarters, and in some games 4 (vs AM, LSU, Miss St, Auburn).

Maybe the "experts" and sports reporters will leave this alone now.
 

trenda

Hall of Fame
May 17, 2000
6,496
213
187
55
Hendersonville, TN USA
THIS sounds so much better than the reports over the summer. Sounds like there is good dialogue, good attitudes and a team-oriented approach from all sides.
 

Pilot172000

1st Team
Sep 25, 2017
455
10
37
Winnsboro, LA
Call my family weird but my wife and three boys love it when Jalen goes into the game and when he throws a touchdown, My wife will say "told ya!". I like being so good we can play two QB's equally.
 

78Alum

All-American
Aug 1, 2007
2,676
725
162
67
Alabaster, AL
I have always believed as Coach Saban says the plan has always been to play Jalen as the backup. I don't think he ever would have accepted having a backup that could only play 4 games. I am truly an admirer of both quarterbacks. Jalen has definitely improved this year and is a much better quarterback. That being said, it is evident that Tua is much better especially at making reads and making decisions quickly. He is also much more accurate. Jalen is great but he is not a next level quarterback and never will be. How great is it to be a Bama fan?
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,570
18,353
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
This is when the haters will come out of the wood work trying to tear down Saban and this team. Jalen will likely have to speak up and protect his coach and let everyone know this was his decision. We will need Jalen before the season is over and he is getting better and better. I am glad we have that depth at the position.
I definitely think that too. The media is looking for anything to tear Coach down, and they will hang on to this as long as Jalen is at Alabama.
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,570
18,353
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
And people want to know why he was so on edge about the quarterback situation. It's easy for someone who is not personally and emotionally connected to the players to say "Just answer the question". But I believe CNS really does connect with his players and has a genuine, personal, father like relationship with them. So when he felt like the media was trying to pressure him to draw a hard line and name a starter, it wasn't as easy from his perspective. Because he knew the media wasn't simply going to be happy with literally just naming a starter. They would want to know why and what things went into naming the starter. Which would have meant he would have had to start critiquing his quarterbacks in public.

I got a small taste of what Saban may have been going through in my 8 yr old son's fall ball team. There's twins on the team. One of the boys is athletically better than the other. But they both are good kids, their father helps out coaching during practice and does dugout control during games. Yesterday after practice he was very upset and I asked him why. He said he was in a very delicate and hard situation. Because he feels like he has to be be careful in how much he praises one of the boys for playing well in fear of hurting the other twin who really isn't that good. As a father he said that is tough because you love both of them. I think this is exactly how Saban felt and feels about the QB situation.




From CA's link:
"I understand how unique a situation this is," Saban said. "I don't know of any other precedent at any time in college football where a guy started 28 games, won 26 of them and then somebody took his place. That's never happened. So that's hard for Jalen, and it's hard for me. I'm a loyal guy and loyal to the guys who get out there and lay it on the line for you. You want to be fair to all of your players, but you also want to be fair to your team.
 
Last edited:

Intl.Aperture

All-American
Aug 12, 2015
3,681
23
57
Chesapeake, Virginia
If Jalen wants to stay and play and is a good teammate then it's a huge win for the University of Alabama.
Would not be surprised to see him transfer at the end of the season but by that point I think we will be sending him gift baskets to thank him for all he's done for our team.
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,570
18,353
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
If Jalen wants to stay and play and is a good teammate then it's a huge win for the University of Alabama.
Would not be surprised to see him transfer at the end of the season but by that point I think we will be sending him gift baskets to thank him for all he's done for our team.
I've got another theory that is pure speculation but how does this sound? Saban and Jalen have a conversation, Jalen tells Coach he wants to play quarterback in the NFL. Coach tells Jalen that regardless of whether he's the starter or not he can get him drafted or at least a shot on a NFL team. That him staying here (though he is the backup) and getting a lot of great QB coaching from Enos is better than transferring and having to basically start over. That he'd spend more time learning the new offense at a new school than working on getting better as a quarterback. How realistic does that sound?


I'll also add this. If Jalen stays and plays out his eligibility as Tua's backup and continues to be a "team guy". He will become a legend at Alabama and will be talked about for years and years to come. If he plays his cards right, he could carve a very unique path and legacy in Alabama football history that would greatly benefit him in his career long after leaving Alabama.
 
Last edited:

Intl.Aperture

All-American
Aug 12, 2015
3,681
23
57
Chesapeake, Virginia
I've got another theory that is pure speculation but how does this sound? Saban and Jalen have a conversation, Jalen tells Coach he wants to play quarterback in the NFL. Coach tells Jalen that regardless of whether he's the starter or not he can get him drafted or at least a shot on a NFL team. That him staying here (though he is the backup) and getting a lot of great QB coaching from Enos is better than transferring and having to basically start over. That he'd spend more time learning the new offense at a new school than working on getting better as a quarterback. How realistic does that sound?
 

New Posts

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.