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re: Class of 2017 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: Say Your Goodbyes Edition
Posted on 5/3/16 at 8:20 am to BlackPawnMartyr
Posted on 5/3/16 at 8:20 am to BlackPawnMartyr
Tim Watts just dropped some nuggets on Tua:
- Sources close to USCw say this is a huge loss to them. They didn't know how big of a threat Alabama was until it was too late. He was at the top of their board and supposedly was a silent commit to them for the last two years. Supposedly.
- He gets a lot of praise of the field for his character.
- A former OL watched his film last night and compared him to Steve Young.
- Kiffin did an outstanding job on this one.
- According to a recruiter outside of SEC country Tua could be the leader of this class, saying lots of kids will be drawn to him.
- We are looking to at least 4 stud WRs in the class and having Tua on board helps.
- Sources close to USCw say this is a huge loss to them. They didn't know how big of a threat Alabama was until it was too late. He was at the top of their board and supposedly was a silent commit to them for the last two years. Supposedly.
- He gets a lot of praise of the field for his character.
- A former OL watched his film last night and compared him to Steve Young.
- Kiffin did an outstanding job on this one.
- According to a recruiter outside of SEC country Tua could be the leader of this class, saying lots of kids will be drawn to him.
- We are looking to at least 4 stud WRs in the class and having Tua on board helps.
2
Posted on 5/3/16 at 8:26 am to TideSaint
Free 247 Content
quote:
Alabama is getting one of the nation's most talented quarterbacks with the commitment of Tua Tagovailoa but it's the mental not the physical that makes me think he's going to be really successful in Tuscaloosa.
The decision to commit to Alabama alone shows some serious commitment to football. The Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis native could have had his pick of west coast, Pac-12 programs including USC. Instead he picked a program with five-stars on the bench, well outside of his comfort zone and that paints his decision as very football focused.
The decision is a product of Tagovailoa as a person. When you watch him compete, you see something special. I've not seen another quarterback in this class with a more cool presence under center than Tagovailoa. It's a calm intensity that allows him to avoid frustration in every setting. He's not getting his blood pressure up over a 4th and Goal or a 3rd and Long.
The arm talent is all there. Tagovailoa is not of ideal height but he is a clean passer, can put the ball all over the field, is very decisive and spins the ball really well.
Tagovailoa follows Jalen Hurts out of the class of 2016, another player that I feel has the demeanor and mental makeup to be really successful at Alabama. I see those two players as the future of the quarterback position for Alabama. They're guys with elite talent but they're also guys you want running your huddle, guys that can be leaders around a pack of alpha dogs.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:08 am to TideSaint
Free SEC Country Content
quote:
Nick Saban has won four national championships, four SEC championships and has seen 18 former Alabama players get drafted in the first round in his nine years with the Crimson Tide, but he hasn’t accomplished one thing until now.
Four-star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa from Saint Louis School in Honolulu has decided to commit to Alabama over Southern California, Ole Miss and UCLA. Tagovailoa fills the much-needed void Alabama had at quarterback in the Class of 2017 after Jake Fromm decided to flip his commitment from Alabama to Georgia in March.
Tagovailoa, the nation’s No. 2 dual-threat quarterback, and his family, traveled more than 4,000 miles from home a few weeks ago to visit Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss. After the extended stay in Tuscaloosa, Tagovailoa knew Alabama was the school for him, but he and his family held off on committing during the visit so they can have the opportunity to celebrate with people in his community.
Being the first Hawaiian prospect to have the opportunity to play for Alabama means a lot to Tagovailoa.
“We wanted to wait and make it official here and make it special because it’s something that no Hawaiian kid has gone through,” Tagovailoa told SEC Country.
“Nobody at any position and no one in general, as far as I know, has gotten the opportunity to play at Alabama or even just attend the school. It’s such a blessing.”
Throughout the majority of Tagovailoa’s recruitment, most people close to him thought he would end up at Southern California — a school that he has classified in the past as his “dream school.” For over a year, the Trojans led for his services, but the grip they held loosened after the Crimson Tide extended a scholarship offer his way in mid-March.
His father, Galu, and his mother, Diane, have said that Southern California will hold a special place in their hearts, but now they, along with members in the Hawaiian community, have a new team to root for.
“It’s been amazing how the people here have been very supportive. They are so excited,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “They want to watch him play in the SEC, especially at Alabama. I don’t think many people expected someone from the island to have Alabama come out here and recruit him. In Saban’s time at Alabama, he has not gotten a kid from Hawaii, so this is very special for us.”
So how does Alabama end up becoming the school you want to attend after being in love with Southern Cal for over a year? It’s a simple question to answer for the Tagovailoas. Despite how crazy this may sound to some, Tuscaloosa reminds them of Honolulu.
“You can’t really lose yourself if you’re a kid from Hawaii going to Alabama,” Tua said. “Things down here in Hawaii are similar to Alabama. We go to church every Sunday. People are treated like family there just like here. There are many similarities there and you want to be somewhere that feels like home and that’s what Alabama feels like.”
His mother echoed that same comfortability that her son felt when they visited Tuscaloosa. She said “everything from the mom’s point of view was covered.” That included things such as when her son would have time to go to church, to the dorm he would be living in and to the nutritional program Alabama offers.
“I was comfortable because Tua was comfortable. He felt like at home,” Diane Tagovailoa said. “Even speaking to the other athletes that were there, they were very genuine and sincere. I trust the decision he makes. If I felt that it wasn’t the right choice then I would let him know about it. He knows what’s good and not good. He just felt good about it.”
Some fans may wonder if Tua will stick with his commitment being that reality may not have set in yet with his decision to attend a college 4,000 miles away from home.
That subject may have been one the family discussed for the longest amount of time. It’s obviously the biggest move Tua will have experienced when that time comes, but he’s ready for it. He won’t have second thoughts when it comes to the distance he will be from his parents.
“If you’re going to leave the island, it really doesn’t matter how far away the place is,” Tua said. “Hawaii is around five hours away from the mainland. What’s five more hours to any flight? There’s really no major difference to adding five more hours. Being away from my family, I knew this was going to have to happen. Every kid has to do it. You have to learn how to grow up.”
His mother said she’s totally at peace with her son’s decision, too. She understands that the opportunity to play for a program like Alabama is what her and her husband have been helping Tua accomplish his entire football career.
“This is what we’ve trained him for. We feel like he’s equipped spiritually to make the decision that is going to be right for him,” Diane Tagovailoa said. “We feel like we have done a good enough job as parents to trust that he’s ready to go soar like an eagle. We want him in a position to be closer to accomplishing his dreams and this decision is going to bring him closer to that goal.”
There is still the possibility of the family moving to the Southeast, but they have not officially decided if that’s what they are going to do just yet.
The Tagovailoas have another son in high school that also plays quarterback, Taulia. He doesn’t attend Saint Louis with Tua. He attends Kapolei High School where he’s the starter. The decision to move to the South would not just be a decision for Tua’s future. That’s why more family talks need to take place before the family decides to move to the South.
If they decided not to move, the family said they are planning on being at as many games as possible, but his mother said they wouldn’t be there often because they want to limit distractions for their son. That won’t stop them from Skyping or FaceTiming Tua as often as they can, she said.
But the decision not to move can be something that Southern California uses in its future recruiting pitches to the quarterback. Tua, the future communications major, notified the schools prior to announcing his commitment of his choice. The Trojans tried to drill it in his head to make sure that this was the decision Tua wanted to make, and it was.
“They were very supportive of my decision,” Tua said of the Southern Cal coaching staff. “They were just telling me to make sure that this was the decision I wanted to make.”
When Tua told his family about his decision to play for Alabama, his father kept on mentioning Southern Cal, UCLA and Ole Miss as other options, but the quarterback wasn’t hearing it. Alabama was the school for him.
“He’s super happy with his decision,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “I could tell that he is set with his choice.”
Tua won’t be an early graduate as of now, but when it comes time to head to his new home of Tuscaloosa, he said he’s most looking forward to meeting up with punter JK Scott, who he said has become his best friend at Alabama.
Tua is excited about the future and acquiring a second family. He got that feeling of happiness and togetherness with the Alabama program. When it comes time to leave his actual family though, Tua will never forget where he came from, even if his mother and father won’t be there every step of the way.
“I’ll probably be an emotional wreck (when he leaves). It’s expected now,” Diane Tagovailoa laughed. “With every offer that came, I always cried. We are just so grateful for being in this position. It’s really just too bad that he has to pick one of these schools. He’s one step closer to his dreams though by going to Alabama.”
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:09 am to TideSaint
quote:
But the decision not to move can be something that Southern California uses in its future recruiting pitches to the quarterback. Tua, the future communications major, notified the schools prior to announcing his commitment of his choice. The Trojans tried to drill it in his head to make sure that this was the decision Tua wanted to make, and it was.
“They were very supportive of my decision,” Tua said of the Southern Cal coaching staff. “They were just telling me to make sure that this was the decision I wanted to make.”
Who did they think made the decision for him?
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:09 am to TideSaint
Hell yeah, I'm glad that position is finished in this class. Though I have to laugh, because I've read this sentence admit every single QB that Saban has had.
If sure as hell isn't Hawaii, but I bet his family will love the seafood in Mobile. It's pretty cool that his family is going to still be close.
quote:
Tagovailoa follows Jalen Hurts out of the class of 2016, another player that I feel has the demeanor and mental makeup to be really successful at Alabama. I see those two players as the future of the quarterback position for Alabama.
If sure as hell isn't Hawaii, but I bet his family will love the seafood in Mobile. It's pretty cool that his family is going to still be close.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:12 am to CCTider
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:22 am to TideSaint
Free SEC Country Content
quote:
Coaching changes often result in recruits either being swayed to or away from certain schools.
Tyler Shelvin is the exception.
The five-star defensive tackle remains firmly committed to LSU, but Alabama continues to hang around as his No. 2 school — even after the team parted ways with defensive line coach Bo Davis because of an alleged recruiting violation.
Though Shelvin’s main recruiter is gone, the 6-foot-2, 329-pounder still holds the Crimson Tide in high regard.
“I look at them the same way,” Shelvin told SEC Country. “The same way like I did before.”
Shelvin has been a longtime Tigers commit, though that pledge came under scrutiny earlier this spring after the Notre Dame High School (Crowley, La.) product visited Alabama.
Louisiana’s No. 1 overall prospect followed his unofficial visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala., with a day on LSU’s campus, where he and defensive line coach Ed Orgeron rekindled their relationship with the LSU coach hoping to make sure Shelvin again felt comfortable with the Tigers.
Still, Shelvin told SEC Country that the Crimson Tide were his No. 2 school after LSU.
Shelvin, the nation’s No. 2 defensive tackle, is taking a unique approach, unlike the nation’s No. 1 defensive tackle, Marvin Wilson.
Wilson dropped Alabama from contention after Davis’ divorce from the team. That left LSU among the frontrunners to eventually land the five-star Texan.
For Shelvin, the relationship with Alabama will continue, despite the change at defensive line coach.
That’s not exactly reassuring news for LSU, which was hopeful the Alabama coaching change would sway some of its top recruits and commits away from its SEC West rival. Still, with Shelvin as a commit, the Tigers remain in better position with him now than even a few weeks ago.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:23 am to TideSaint
Free SEC Country Content
quote:
Jake Fromm was expected to be Alabama’s quarterback of the future, but that changed on March 3.
Fromm, a four-star prospect from Houston County High School (Warner Robins, Ga.), de-committed on that day and decided to flip to Georgia.
Not quite two months later, Alabama will find out Monday night if it has a quarterback of the future again, and it could be someone who didn’t even have an official offer from the Crimson Tide the day Fromm flipped.
Right after losing Fromm to Georgia, Alabama started to recruit quarterbacks once again, offering scholarships to Tua Tagovailoa, Jake Bentley, Bailey Hockman and Davis Mills.
Since then, Bentley committed to South Carolina, Hockman chose Florida State, and Mills who had committed to Stanford a day before the Tide offered him, has remained strong on his pledge to the Cardinal.
That left Tagovailoa, the nation’s No. 2 dual-threat quarterback from Honolulu. Alabama had a lot of catching up to do in order to have any chance of landing the four-star prospect from Saint Louis School.
Throughout most of his recruitment, Southern California led for his services. It is a college that Tagovailoa has classified as a “dream school.” But since March 8, the day Alabama offered him, the Trojans’ lead started to crumble.
SEC Country first caught up with Tagovailoa shortly after he announced his top eight schools on March 16. Alabama did make the cut, but at that time, not many people knew just how serious his interest in the school was.
The first true sign of his interest level in Alabama came when Tagovailoa talked about how much his faith meant to him and how he and his family connected with Nick Saban on a spiritual level.
“Coach Saban has talked to us and his beliefs are God first before anything,” Tagovailoa told SEC Country shortly after releasing his top schools. “Every school is going to have good academics. Every school is going to have good football. But when you have a coach like Saban, who believes in God and is a defending champion, that makes it even more special.”
Tagovailoa, who threw for 2,916 yards and scored 35 total touchdowns his junior season, immediately focused on Alabama after receiving his scholarship offer. Being from Hawaii, there aren’t many players that have the opportunity to play in the SEC, especially not at Alabama.
When the Crimson Tide offered him the opportunity to play quarterback for them, the wheels started turning on possibly moving 4,000 miles away from home.
“I didn’t even know I was in Alabama’s range to get offered. It says a lot for them to go this far for someone like me,” Tagovailoa said. “I really do take this into consideration because it’s something that is very meaningful because Nick Saban has taken almost everyone that he has recruited to a national championship. That says a lot about his program.”
Fast forward a few weeks after releasing his top schools. Tua, his mother, Diane and his father, Galu, planned a trip to the Southeast to visit Alabama, Ole Miss and Auburn. The Tagovailoas spent almost a full week in Tuscaloosa and fell in love with the school and the city.
So much so, that Tua’s father told SEC Country on April 11 that if a decision was made on that day, his son would be choosing Alabama.
“If it was made today, just with what has happened this week, it would be Alabama,” Galu said. “Again, because of the relationship we built with them. Our relationship with Alabama has kept growing. This is just my opinion but it would be Alabama.”
It’s common for recruits and family members to say something that extreme to reporters especially after having a great visit. But, the interest level from the Tagovailoas was so high that the family had discussed moving to the Southeast if he did in fact choose Alabama.
“We have talked about a lot of those things, even if he was staying on the West Coast,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “I have kind of looked at some jobs on the West Coast in my field. We also needed to consider that we needed to look at jobs in Mobile or in that area. That was one of the biggest reasons why we took this trip as a family. When it comes down to making a decision like this, it’s a family decision.”
On April 23, Tua set his commitment date for May 2. This came as a bit of a shock because originally, the plan was to make his decision at some point in July. He was going to take more time to visit other schools. As it turns out, no college visits have happened after the Alabama extended stay. Moving up his commitment to May suggested good news for Alabama was on the way.
In less than two months from picking up a scholarship offer to now, Alabama went from not a serious contender for the Hawaiian star to being the favorite. According to Tagovailoa’s 247Sports Crystal Ball, 83 percent of recruiting analysts that have offered a prediction believe he’ll choose Alabama tonight around 11 p.m. ET when he announces his decision live on a Hawaiian TV news station. In addition to Alabama, Southern Cal, Ole Miss, UCLA, Texas A&M and Hawaii are battling it out for his services.
So what would Alabama be getting if Tagovailoa chooses the school?
The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder’s left arm could be mistaken for a cannon if you watch his film. It’s clear that arm strength is not an issue for Tagovailoa. Though he is a dual-threat quarterback, don’t confuse with him just being an athlete that’s also able to throw the ball. He’s a quarterback first, but also has the ability to make plays with his legs.
In addition to his skillset, the Tagovailoa commitment is huge for recruiting. Alabama doesn’t have any receiver commitments in the Class of 2017 yet, and that’s a big position of need. Seeing Alabama land one of the top quarterbacks in the country could help the Tide’s position with some of the top receivers.
Tagovailoa is also one of the most personable recruits. If he ends up in this class, expect him to become one of the team’s biggest and best recruiters along with four-star offensive tackle commit Alex Leatherwood.
Overall, Tagovailoa will be welcomed with open arms if he ends up in Alabama’s recruiting class. It would be a major win for the Crimson Tide if they can go from not being in the race two months ago to landing a commitment from one of the nation’s best quarterbacks.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:30 am to TideSaint
quote:
Who did they think made the decision for him?
Well my guess would be his parents. Saban is extremely good at winning over the parents with out professional and prepared he is. I believe USC was sort of a dream school for Tua as a kid (or at least i got that impression). So maybe they were hoping his parents had made the decision but they could win him back over. Cant blame them for one last try.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:33 am to TideSaint
I hope this doesn't mean Blake is leaving.
quote:
User Actions Following Lance Barnett ?@LanceBarnett 8 is coming back home to the west coast ??
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:42 am to TideSaint
quote:
A former OL watched his film last night and compared him to Steve Young.
A disk dual threat lefty. I wonder if he also thought tua is Mormon. Hopefully the analysis is based on more than just stereotypes.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:43 am to jatebe
It's finals week
Posted on 5/3/16 at 9:52 am to UhOhOreo
quote:I know. Just worried since Bama had Hurts come in last year and got Tua yesterday.
It's finals week
Some big time QBs on the bench.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 10:07 am to jatebe
quote:
@LanceBarnett 8 is coming back home to the west coast ??
I wonder if that was just a disappointed USC fan hoping he'll transfer with us having Hurts and Tua. It does seem weird to tweet that to someone's dad.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 10:30 am to CCTider
Why would he transfer when he could still win the starting job in the fall? Unlike Bateman and Cornwell, Barnett is Kiffin's chosen QB. Hurts is too, but he isn't playing this year.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 10:47 am to CCTider
I believe a few weeks back Blake said he was looking forward to some "off" time back home. He is gonna work with his QB coach back home during summer break.
Posted on 5/3/16 at 11:02 am to Cobrasize
Whenever finals are done for him, he will have a little less than a month off. (Classes begin again May 31)
Posted on 5/3/16 at 11:24 am to Cobrasize
quote:
believe a few weeks back Blake said he was looking forward to some "off" time back home. He is gonna work with his QB coach back home during summer break
That would make sense. It'd be either crazy or pussified if he left this early.
This post was edited on 5/3/16 at 11:25 am
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