re: Class of 2017 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: Say Your Goodbyes Edition

quote:

---

Latest offer doesn’t change Tua Tagovailoa’s recruitment

LSU coach Ed Orgeron made it clear when he was named the permanent Tigers coach that recruiting dual-threat quarterbacks was a priority to him.

“I do believe nowadays, you have to run the spread offense,” Orgeron said. “You have to have dual-threat quarterbacks that can run the ball and throw it. But you have to have someone who knows how to run it.”

Well, Orgeron decided to offer the nation’s No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in Alabama 5-star prospect Tua Tagovailoa, who has been a part of the Crimson Tide’s class since May.

The offer surely is one that sent shockwaves through the recruiting and college football industry because it just adds more fuel to the fire of the Lane Kiffin rumors that he’ll be LSU’s next offensive coordinator. It only makes sense that Kiffin would try to take the quarterback he has committed to his new school.

But even if Kiffin leaves Alabama for LSU in the coming weeks before Tagovailoa enrolls in school this January as he’s an early enrollee, it would be shocking if he followed Kiffin to Baton Rouge. For starters, he’s never visited Baton Rouge and hasn’t had communication with the Tigers’ staff until recently.

Secondly, Tagovailoa did not commit to Alabama because of Kiffin’s offensive scheme nor because of a strong relationship with the coach. If you remember, back in May before Jalen Hurts became Alabama’s starting quarterback, no one knew how Alabama’s offense was going to evolve from having a pro-style quarterback in Jacob Coker last year to either Blake Barnett or Hurts, both dual-threat QBs.
tua-tagovailoa-alabama recruiting-alabama crimson tide-lsu-lane kiffin

Even when Tagovailoa committed to Alabama, his quarterbacks coach at Saint Louis High School (Honolulu) Vinny Passas told SEC Country that he personally felt like the Tide had too much of a “boring offense” for the Hawaiian star. So, again, he didn’t commit to Alabama because of the offensive scheme at the time. Over time, seeing how Alabama utilized a dual-threat QB only strengthened his commitment.

Kiffin also isn’t Tagovailoa’s primary recruiter. It’s outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi. More importantly, Nick Saban has weekly FaceTime chats with Tagovailoa and his parents usually every Sunday night. Those chats last around 20 minutes on average. Saban rarely talks recruiting with the Tagovailoas. Before Tagovailoa became a state champion and Hawaii’s all-time leader in passing yards, Saban would ask how his game went from the days prior, but it never went much past that when it came time to talk about football. The conversations mainly center around family.

The Tagovailoas are much closer to Saban than they are to Kiffin. Also, they do have a relationship with Alabama analyst Steve Sarkisian who could ultimately be the next Tide offensive coordinator.

Tua himself told SEC Country a few weeks ago in Hawaii that his recruitment was over. He was going to visit only one school and that would be Alabama on Dec. 8 for his official visit. That’s also the day Saban, Kiffin and Lupoi are scheduled to fly out to Honolulu for an in-home visit.

“It feels good being over with it because it takes a huge load off of your shoulders,” Tagovailoa said two weeks ago. “I can now focus on things that are more important instead of just thinking about my recruitment.”

Mainly when it comes to questioning the strength of Tagovailoa’s commitment to Alabama, it always comes back to Hurts’ emergence as a playmaker for Alabama. That’s already been addressed by Tagovailoa and several people close to him.

Tagovailoa isn’t afraid of competing against anyone.

He’s already dealt with it in high school. When Tagovailoa was a sophomore at Saint Louis High School, the Crusaders had a senior quarterback who was named All-State the year prior. The Alabama quarterback commit didn’t let that stop him from beating out the senior and winning his job. He’s going to Alabama with the mindset of doing whatever he can to beat Hurts out no matter how good of a season he had.

“People ask me why is he going to Alabama because they have their guy already who’s a freshman,” Passas, Saint Louis’ QB coach, said. “He’s going to compete for a job. I think that’s going to bring the best out of him and make him better.”

Ron Lee, Saint Louis’ offensive coordinator, compared Tagovailoa’s recruitment to another one of his former players in Hawaii — Peter Kim, Alabama’s kicker in the early 1980s. Like Tagovailoa, Kim had several opportunities elsewhere where life would have been much easier. He didn’t have a scholarship to Alabama, but he did have some at other schools, such as the University of Hawaii.

“Peter saw Bear Bryant on TV and Alabama was No. 1 in the country at the time,” Lee said. He gave up his scholarship to walk-on at Alabama. He eventually won a scholarship and was successful for them.

“Tua is just like Peter. He wants to play for the best team in the country. He can go to other places that may be easier, but he wants to play for Nick Saban and the No. 1 team in the country.”

You may read stories this week that say Tagovailoa may flip his commitment if Kiffin leaves for LSU, but the fact of the matter is that he’s locked in with Alabama and has been ever since he committed. He’s visited a total of zero other schools since he gave Saban his commitment, and he has said that Alabama will be the only school he sees before starting college in January.

His family also has printed 4,000 T-shirts that say “Roll Tua Roll.” Almost every single family member who attended the state championship wore them to show not only are they supporting Tagovailoa but also his future school, too.

He’s locked in with Alabama.

---

quote:

---

The hunt for a seventh-straight recruiting championship crown is on for Alabama as we inch closer to National Signing Day on Feb. 1. Alabama gained a commitment from 4-star linebacker Chris Allen this past Sunday, and that is just the start of more commitments coming soon.

The Crimson Tide currently have 23 commitments, but they still have holes to fill in their 2017 recruiting class.

Here’s a look at who might be next to commit:

---

quote:

---

Phidarian Mathis, 4-star DT, Neville, La.

We’ve known for over two months now that Mathis was likely making his commitment after his season ends. Mathis’ high school team is in the state playoffs and should advance to the finals on Dec. 10.

A commitment should come soon after that. Alabama, LSU and TCU remain the main teams in the mix.

Wide receivers coach Billy Napier will travel to Mathis’ home next week. The 4-star defensive tackle has told SEC Country that Alabama has maintained constant communication with him.

“They talk to me every single night,” Mathis said. “I’m close with Coach Dunbar and Coach Napier. They text me every day. Sometimes it’s just a little message telling me to get better that day. It means a lot to me because it shows me that they care about me and really want me.”

It should be noted that LSU recently fired Mathis’ lead recruiter, Bradley Dale Peveto.

As far as where Mathis stands with the Tide, he hasn’t named any school a leader, but Alabama is in good position to land him when he makes his commitment.

“Alabama is a great team, and I love them,” Mathis said. “Alabama has a great squad and a great coaching staff. They treated me like I was at home when I have visited.”

---

quote:

---

Roll Tide-ings: Tua Tagovailoa’s reaction to LSU offer good news for Alabama; priority 5-star recruit update

---

quote:

---

Cristobal visits Collins

Offensive line coach Mario Cristobal was at the home of 4-star wide receiver Nico Collins on Wednesday night. Collins remains a big-time target for Alabama at the receiver position along with fellow 4-star prospects Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith.

One interesting note about Collins, I saw him play twice this season at Clay-Chalkville High School (Pinson, Ala.) and both times Cristobal was in attendance. Alabama is one of Collins’ top three schools along with Michigan and Georgia, but the Tide have been considered the No. 3 team on that list. It sure is interesting, though, considering how much time and effort the Alabama staff has put into his recruitment for it to be No. 3. It’s just rare that you hear of Alabama — with an in-state recruit — not be considered the favorite.

SEC Country has been told multiple times by people close to Collins that he’d like to leave Alabama for college, but I get the feeling that the Tide are a much stronger player in his recruitment than what we’ve been led to believe. We’ll find out more from Collins next week at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

---