IMO, if true, that is on the coaching staff at least as much as Jalen. Of course, it could be that Jalen has been taught that, especially by Enos, and practices it at times, but just failed to in this session and when corrected was too polite or... to say, "yes, I know that".
Alabama QB competition article
- Thread starter Redwood Forrest
- Start date
But as often noted, Tagovailoa had the same coaches last year. I guess it could be that Tua's high school coaches were just that much better, or maybe Tua is just that much better, but I am sure he can improve as much with Enos as the rest of the qbs will.
Jalen came to Alabama to learn how to become a pro style passer. Tua came to Alabama already a pro style passer. I think the difference in the two is a combination of natural talent AND one learning the fundamentals of passing at a much younger age than the other. The gap between the two is so vast it's hard to even discuss this as a true "QB competition". Maybe if Jalen had been taught from middle school on the fundamentals of being a pro passer and was taught to play the game AS A pro style passer. The gap wouldn't be what it is. But as it stands now, this really isn't a true competition.
Only in slomo can you see that he checks as he swings back around to locate the target that his freezing of the safety had worked. If the guy hadn't still been on the stripe, he probably wouldn't have thrown the pass...
Not exactly sure what you mean. IMO, it is a true competition in the sense that CNS is giving both players a legitimate chance to win the job - as he should. What some, including myself, believe, is that it is not a competition in the sense that Jalen has no real chance to win because Tua is the far superior player, especially as a passer. Some, maybe including you, IDK, are worried that CNS does not see that Tua is the better option. In fact, some were probably troubled to hear that Jalen looked really good in a recent throwing session. But that was not game action, which we all know is almost meaningless. Is it better to look good in these sessions - I guess. But I hardly even pay any attention anymore to Elite 11 or other such competitions, even A-Day. Game time is all that really matters because only then can things be fully tested. On the one hand I can understand the apprehension knowing that I too desperately believe way deep down in my relatively dumb little football soul that Tua is the far better option, but OTOH, CNS knows 1000 times more about football than I do. As flawed as even the greatest coach is, it's hard to see him making a mistake in this case. It certainly wouldn't be because he doesn't see the talent differential. But maybe there are other issues. Hope not.
And to this day, UGA fans here in Georgia haven't figured out how he fooled the safety
Actually, the safety himself, in an interview, said "He looked me off"...
Yep, Tua looked him off, but how? In that defense he has one responsibility. If he does his job, it is not possible to be "looked off". The reason - in a cover 2 defense the CB on that side of the field only has responsibility for the underneath coverage of that outside WR. The CB did his job in taking away the underneath routes. If the receiver goes straight up the field the safety has to be there. The CB is not supposed to try to stay with him over the top. Smith was wide open because the safety did not do his job.
In some defenses the safety is supposed to read the QB and react - not in cover 2 with 4 receivers in formation and with one WR on your side of the field. We can say that the safety was human and made a mistake if we like, but to say that Tua looked him off understates how monumental the breakdown really was.
For defenses in football to work everyone has to know their job and trust their teammates. That didn't happen here. Part of that might have been a result of the safety not realizing just how strong Tua's arm was. I mean, Tua threw a rope that few college QBs could have managed in that spot. But it doesn't excuse his decision to do what he wanted to do instead of doing his job. I would be very upset if a safety cost my team a shot at a championship in this way.
Jalen isn't going to win the job without being able to throw the ball better. So, if he does somehow win the job that would only be good news. I still highly doubt that happens but if it does think about how good Jalen would be with his legs and better passing.
How much weight should be put into passing sessions now that we've got two years and the most recent A-Day game to show what Jalen does during game conditions? There's a term (in baseball at least) called "a practice player". This label is given to players who look good in practice, actually win the starting job due to their performances in practice. But when they get in the game and the lights come on. They can't replicate their practice performances in games. For me, even if Jalen "looks good" during passing sessions, it would be very hard for me to put more stock in that than what we've seen the past two years and the most recent A-Day performance. When he continued to show his inability to move the offense through the air.
But he's also bad reading defenses, pocket presence, looking off dbs (as talked about in other posts), throwing the receiver open, so many other things Tua does better. I honestly can't for the life of me understand how it could still be a competition.
I was kind of including all of those things into throwing the ball better. And I agree it seems extremely unlikely that this is a real competition at this point. I'm just saying that if somehow Jalen DOES pull off a miracle and ends up the QB then it should only be good news because I think he would have to improve a great deal for that to happen.
And I will continue to blame his father for this. That was Jalen's high school coach. Took the easy road and let his kid just out-athlete everyone on the field to get the wins rather than forcing him to improve at the expense of some losses. I think that would be an easy choice to make, and might have done the same myself in his situation. So, it is understandable. But that is a big part of why Jalen is where he is now, in my opinion.
you can still see the guy in the stands with his arms raised in "td" mode while the pass is in the air
Thats part of the problem. He has not looked good in practice. They were saying Jalen was being out played by Tua in practice. Some wide receivers were saying Jalen looked awful in practice which lead to the Tua thought he out performed him at practice rumor that was going around. If Jalen is starting to throw the ball better maybe the QB coach is paying off. I hope that also means Tua keeps getting better also under this new coach.
And by Saban's comments caught on the "hot mic" during A-Day about Jalen. I suspect those comments of frustration weren't just about a few drives in that game. I do wonder if he also struggled in spring practices as well?
This is also the best view I have seen yet of Tua "looking the safety off" from the eventual receiver. You can really see Tua looking right, looking right, looking right, then suddenly throwing left. The safety never had a chance.
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