And none of those plays or snaps against a defense worth a spit. Georgia was his first test. He passed. But no one knew what Tua was going to be able to accomplish in that game until he got the chance.
Alabama QB competition article
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And none of those plays or snaps against a defense worth a spit. Georgia was his first test. He passed. But no one knew what Tua was going to be able to accomplish in that game until he got the chance.
People were talking about Blake Barnett earlier, but he's just about the perfect example. Did he arrive at Alabama with an NFL caliber arm? Absolutely. He did actually put up stellar numbers. But, in a big game with a lot on the line he just didn't have the poise he needed. I'm so happy that Tua has what it takes, but it takes more than 5 start talent, playing well in practice, or even a NFL ready army, it takes something else and I'm not sure you can really know that until the game is on the line. Saban has so many championships because he avoids putting the game on the line unless he has to.
Perhaps he ascribes to the Gary Danielson school of thought: "Just Keep Playing.
As a matter of theory I agree with Danielson but as a matter of what actually gets left on the field I'd say momentum is a bigger factor than he gives it credit for.
It was fun, anyway, watching UGA scramble on defense in the 2nd half after having it relatively easy to defend in the first half.
I have lived in Georgia most of my life so most of my friends and business associates are UGA fans. I had told them for months that though our offense wasn't very good vs good defenses (I was actually more explicit as to the problem), there is a freshman qb on the bench that can light it up. I am sure that many, perhaps most of them, thought it was the typical "awesome qb on the bench" type thing. After the game a couple of them admitted I was right about that. Most of them, though pretty confident pre-game, have not mentioned the game since then.
I have lived in Georgia most of my life so most of my friends and business associates are UGA fans. I had told them for months that though our offense wasn't very good vs good defenses (I was actually more explicit as to the problem), there is a freshman qb on the bench that can light it up. I am sure that many, perhaps most of them, thought it was the typical "awesome qb on the bench" type thing. After the game a couple of them admitted I was right about that. Most of them, though pretty confident pre-game, have not mentioned the game since then.
I believe momentum is a key aspect of sport that manifiest itself in the heat of competition.
Nobody, not even CNS, can coach against it when it starts happening. I'll just use Steven Garcia as an example of what can happen when a team/individual gets momentum on their side and starts believing David can beat Goliath.
I do think CNS's motto "play the next play" (forget what happened before) is about the best coaching to offset when things get going bad, but I really believe Tua coming into the game against Georgia and moving the ball downfield is what switched ole "Mo" into our favor last January.
Put another way, I don't think the defense motivated Tua to play well...Tua motivated the defense to up their game in the second half.
Nobody, not even CNS, can coach against it when it starts happening. I'll just use Steven Garcia as an example of what can happen when a team/individual gets momentum on their side and starts believing David can beat Goliath.
I do think CNS's motto "play the next play" (forget what happened before) is about the best coaching to offset when things get going bad, but I really believe Tua coming into the game against Georgia and moving the ball downfield is what switched ole "Mo" into our favor last January.
Put another way, I don't think the defense motivated Tua to play well...Tua motivated the defense to up their game in the second half.
If momentum is real how come it seems to change so quickly? At the very least the effect of momentum on a game is seriously overblown.
I wasn't aware people really believed in momentum in sports. In fact I'm pretty sure there has been statistical analysis of the idea that momentum impacts a game and didn't find much if any impact. I'll have to look around and see if I can find it.
There was a visible difference in even the way they were standing there. The team had picked it's qb before that game.
How does one quantify momentum for a statistical study? That's pretty arbitrary.
I would have to find it. I really can't remember I'll look later today but I think one I read looked to see if big plays or a successful play impacts the likelihood of subsequent plays finding success. But I could be wrong.
And, doesn't the fact that its arbitrary kinda prove the point that its a myth or at least not a useful piece of information?
Science says hello. It's a term that describes a relationship between the mass and velocity of an object, and we can see this when it is written in equation form, p = mv, where p is momentum, m is mass in kg and v is velocity in m/s.
I'd say it's like trying to measure confidence.
How do you explain the difference in Rory McElroy at Augusta on Saturday vs. Sunday?
Edit: Didn't see B1G's comment about confidence, but obviously I agree.
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I think Gary Danielson is very adamant about not believing in momentum as well. Personally, I believe momentum is a real thing because as a former athlete I experienced it. Now, I'm not saying someone who also played sports has to believe it. I'm just saying from my personal experience of playing sports. Momentum is a very real thing that can impact a game.
If this is what most people really meant when they talk about momentum I would be on board. Confidence absolutely impact performance. But typically fans and even media members talk about momentum as a much more powerful force that swings constantly. The fact that it swings constantly seems to imply that momentum isn't all that strong of a force.
To me momentum is similar to the idea that some basketball players get "hot". They aren't getting hot its just statistics. If you flip a coin a bunch of times its bound to land on heads multiple times in a row.
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I think the element of "rhythm" is what a lot of people refer to when they say "momentum". When a team is operating in sync with each other it creates a rhythm in which they all function. Which will absolutely generate success. If you know ANYTHING about sports, when a player (in any sport) gets into a rhythm they tend to have sustained success until something or somebody disrupts their rhythm.
It's the reason a baseball coach tells the hitter to call a time out right before he thinks the pitcher (who's struckout 7 consecutive hitters) is about to go into his wind up. To disrupt his rhythm.
It's the reason a basketball coach calls a timeout when the other team has gone on a 15-0 run. To break their rhythm.
It's the reason football coaches preach "move the quarterback off his spot". To disrupt any rhythm he may have or begin to get.
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See this is why its hard to call momentum real. There are too many varying definitions of what constitutes as momentum. Is it rhythm? Then why do people call individual plays momentum shifting? Is it confidence? then again how often does that really come into play? and do external factors impact a players or teams confidence? is that still momentum or just confidence?
Like RTR91 said its a pretty arbitrary term. I guess I'd prefer if we used the terms we meant as opposed to an umbrella term that means everything and nothing. Why not just say confidence and rhythm.
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