re: Program Chatter

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I think Tua's gunslinging mentality played a big role in that. He'll opt for the big play over the easy check-down nine times out of 10.

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He had 4 picks in the UGA and Clemson games combined and didn't play much of the 4th quarters in either game. That will get you beat almost every time.

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Funny how this opinion has now come full circle.



disclaimer: not saying that anyone was wrong or right, I just think that its funny.

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Funny how this opinion has now come full circle.

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Yep. I was one of those who tried to explain why Saban would start Jalen over Tua in 2017, when many wanted Tua out there to make the offense more explosive.

There's no doubt the offense is better with Tua running it (and it's a moot point now anyway). But Saban has always hated turnovers with a passion, and they came back to bite us big-time late in the season.

If we could somehow combine Tua's ability with a dash of Jalen's caution, we'd have a QB for the ages. Maybe Tua's learned that lesson now.

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His ego got him humiliated.

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how and when was he humiliated?

The guy was injured since the Arkansas game, and an injury will impact your complete game. Besides that, he started playing for the ESPN highlight reel when he became the solid Heisman favorite. The offensive coordinator could have "encouraged" him to check down more often, but the OC, too, was seeing the Heisman stars.

Some of you must forget earlier in the year when even Gary Danielson raved on the guy, over and over, about his complete game, including reading the defense after the snap.

edit to wonder if he was a competitor, a scrapper and winner, in the title game vs UGA, when he brought us from behind to win another national title. I do know one thing he was in that game, and was not the latter half of this past season. Healthy.

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Yes. But once people had the book on Tua, that gunslinging became his undoing. If he doesn't learn to be a competitor he will never be anything more than a flashy backyard football/7-on-7 hero. He must learn to be a scrapper and a winner. Against, Ole Miss he had a healthy sense of fear. He got down early before being hit and protected the ball. He got his big plays in too. That was one of his best games in my opinion. Later on his ego did him in. His ego got him humiliated.

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Ole Miss was also one of the worst defenses ive ever seen an SEC team field

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The guy was injured since the Arkansas game, and an injury will impact your complete game. Besides that, he started playing for the ESPN highlight reel when he became the solid Heisman favorite. The offensive coordinator could have "encouraged" him to check down more often, but the OC, too, was seeing the Heisman stars.

Some of you must forget earlier in the year when even Gary Danielson raved on the guy, over and over, about his complete game, including reading the defense after the snap.

edit to wonder if he was a competitor, a scrapper and winner, in the title game vs UGA, when he brought us from behind to win another national title. I do know one thing he was in that game, and was not the latter half of this past season. Healthy.

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I agree with this. Tua has the heart and fight to win in a close game. We've seen it, on the biggest stage possible.

I think that he reads defenses fine. His biggest problem is over-confidence. That applies to his passing, and him taking too many violent hits by not protecting himself. You see that with young players that are really good.

Confidence is good obviously, but he has to learn how to balance confidence, with good-decision making and self-preservation.

He is a smart kid with a good head on his shoulders, so I have no doubt that he will find that balance, and be much improved down the stretch next season.

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Against Clemson and Venables, though (who had a month to prep for us), Tua's predisposition to forego check-downs when they were open was a liability. He could get away with it against most other teams in the country … but not elite defenses.

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They had a great plan to exploit Tua's aggressiveness and Clemson had the horses to execute.

All this about Saban being pissed is well and good, but I don't know if Saban being more pissed would have made a bit of difference this year. Wouldn't have made Savion any better, wouldn't have made our DLs have a better attitude.

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Gonna need dl and lbers to gain leadership, depth and discipline...plus keep both positions healthy!! If those four things happen then this should be a special season but if not then Uga will win the conference title.

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all those things didn't happen this year and UGA didn't win the conference title, so maybe it's not that simple

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Georgia will be tough, but what are the chances Bama plays terrible against them for the 3rd year in a row?

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I haven't really studied it, but just judging by what I have casually read, I think this coaching staff may be some better than last year, or at least more experienced. Would have been good to have kept Enos, but thems the breaks. Unlike some, I think Sarkisian will be a good OC.

I know someone that went one of those big wig meetings that Saban speaks at from time to time. He said Saban seemed angry and was calling out coaches and players by name that had let the team down, most are no longer there and they've been discussed ad nauseum on this board.

He thought the defense got soft and the offense got over-confident.

He said he came away with the general feeling that that beat down we took re-motivated Saban like a mad man. Said he came away thinking to himself, "boy, he's pissed."


On another note, I've been of the opinion for at least two years and probably more that teams weren't afraid to play us anymore. They know the whole loaded with 5* thing but I mean visibly intimidated by the thought of the physical beating they were about to endure. Bama has to get back to that no matter what it takes.

I'll never forget Mike McCoy catching a pass (against VT I think it was) and a DB having a clear angle on him to lay him out. Rather than go out of bounds McCoy lowered his shoulder and damn near turned the guy a flip with MM just standing over him with the dude layed out on the turf.

THAT'S the mentality we have to get back to.