Did we complete one pass over 10 yards in the air today?

Long one to Stewart

Ah yeah, I was in the car for that one. I can't wait to go back and watch it!

quote:

---

Kid definitely has to work on his timing. Ridley, Foster, Stewart, and Howard are too good not to be able to use them.

---

Sorry didn't mean to downvote you. I agree, but unfortunately I think this is a fundamental problem. He's simply not a great passing QB. Hopefully he'll make significant improvements, but it's doubtful

To be fair, he is outstanding with his legs.

quote:

---

Outside of passing, he has all the intangibles you look for in a good dual threat QB. His timing is just off and hopefully this bye week will allow for him to get a lot of passes in (skeleton drills) with little to no game prep.

---

I hear you man, but I think his passing is a serious problem. This isn't something you fix in a bye week. Jalen Hurts is the worst passing QB we've started under Saban by far. He has great running ability, and great intangibles, but boy he is really lacking accuracy and timing. I mean we have GREAT receivers. Our receivers are one of our big strengths and we can't even use them except for jet sweeps and screens. On the plus side, he can pass just well enough to where the defense actually has to defend the pass.
I love our defense, but I haven't seen any improvements in passing since week 1. We've got what we've got at this point. If Jalen can crank it up a notch in the passing game, we could go all the way. If not, it's gonna be really tough. Regardless, we should expect to win the SEC this year.

Hurt's worst overall game, he was off all day on the pass. He made a few huge runs though to make up for it.

But the op is talking about the passing game, and specifically, passes beyond 10 yards that are not basically handoffs to the receivers.

What is a little scary, imo, is that the coaches evidently don't yet even have the confidence that we can complete the intermediate to long passes. They rarely even call the plays, and when they do, more often than not, those passes aren't complete, in spite of the best receiving corps, arguably, ever at Alabama.

As noted the other day in another thread: There is probably going to come a time that we have to win a game on the arm of the quarterback. He can improve, and I think he will. He has shown he has the arm and the ability, but he's just very inconsistent.

I guess the saving grace of this, other than the fact that Hurts is great (for a true freshman) in all other phases of the game, is that Tagovailoa may follow through on his commitment rather than decide to go somewhere he won't more likely have to sit on the bench for 2 or 3 years. That is, the coaches have proven that a freshman will play if he's good enough. If he has the legs AND is consistent in the passing game, then come on down.

All that said, I am confident that Hurts will improve his passing game. I hope it comes around by the LSU game.

quote:

---

He's simply not a great passing QB.

---

Sadly, this is an understatement. I've been hoping to see improvement, but 8 games in, Hurts is as inaccurate as the day he started.

Actually, he's even more inaccurate now, honestly. Kiffin has worked around this weakness, but if it doesn't improve, it's going to mean losses at some point.

He'll get better. We've been fortunate not to need a true freshman to play that position in a long time, and most of them are able to get adjusted to the speed of the college game over the course of multiple years of practice, scrimmages, and limited game action until they get up to speed. Hurts hasn't had that luxury, so we may not see the improvement we want until next season. But it will come.

quote:

---

Oh my fricking God, Bama fans are insane.

---

Yep.

I'm currently on probation for telling folks how clueless statements like those are.

When did AJ start ? His third year in the system ?

I wonder how Hurts will look with two seasons of development under his belt ?

Probably like Bamas first QB Heisman winner, and a first round pick.