re: Spring Football News & Info

Tua Tagovailoa’s lackluster spring should give Alabama fans chills Updated Apr 13, 10:06 PM; Posted Apr 13, 4:59 PM Al.Com By Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.com

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Tua Tagovailoa might already be better than crack ice cream, whatever that means, but he needs to be better than Jalen Hurts this season if he wants to be remembered as one of Alabama’s all-time greats.

It was former quarterback Trent Dilfer — just a brilliant wordsmith, that guy — who recently said Tagovailoa was such a good quarterback that he was like “the ultimate ice cream on crack.” Hey, sometimes words fail the best of us. The addictive hype around Tua has been ridiculous ever since second and 26, but let’s be sober for a change. He was not very good against Georgia in the SEC championship, and he was outclassed in the national championship game by Clemson.

On Saturday, he wasn’t consistent in Alabama’s spring game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tua’s Crimson team lost to the White team 31-17. He had his moments, but it wasn’t a very Tua-like performance.

Kind of like the national championship game.

For Alabama, it’s time to start worrying. For everyone else, it is time to compare.

Some of those throws Tagovailoa attempted in San Jose were awful, and Hurts, the backup quarterback, saved the season in Atlanta. For all of Tagovailoa’s greatness in 2018 against mediocre teams (LSU, Auburn and Oklahoma), his struggles in championship games defined his first full season.

Now he’s a junior, and he can be drafted in the NFL this time next year, so people like good ol’ Trent are pretty confident this is Tua’s last season at Alabama. Before even being projected as a first-round pick, Tua still has a lot to prove. (Trent, for the record, said Tua is already a better prospect than Dan Marino, Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers.)

Crack kills, Trent.

And so does hype.

The expectations for Tua somehow need to be tamped down a little bit before the start of the season. Good luck, right? Not after second and 26, and not after last season’s record breaking Iron Bowl. In hindsight, though, Alabama might not even have made the College Football Playoff last year without Hurts, the backup quarterback.

How is Tua going to perform against elite defenses this season? Can he stay healthy? Those storylines won’t be answered until the fall, but one question is already beginning to form this spring.

And it is going to determine how we remember Tua if this is indeed his final season.

How is he going to perform this season in relation to Hurts? They will be compared against each other all season, and beginning right now.

Tua completed 19 of 37 attempts on Saturday for 265 yards. He had a touchdown throw, but also an interception. Statistically, Crimson team quarterback Mac Jones actually out-performed Tua. Jones was 19 of 23 for 274 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

On Friday, Hurts completed 11 of 14 passing attempts for 174 yards and a touchdown.

Tua ran off Hurts last year, and now Hurts is at Oklahoma and his singular mission in life is to win the national championship. Showing up Tua along the way would be a bonus. All championships during the Nick Saban Era go through Alabama, of course, so a matchup of Hurts and Tua in the playoffs isn’t really that far fetched.

Alabama played Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl in January, and Oklahoma has made three of the first five College Football Playoffs. They’re a favorite this season with Hurts, too.

Tua Tagovailoa authored an uneven performance during Alabama's A-Day spring game, as his Crimson team lost, 31-17.

Hurts probably won’t be named Oklahoma’s official starter until the fall, but he didn’t transfer there to be a backup. He’s going to be the starter, and every throw and every run will be analyzed by Alabama fans just as much as people in Big 12 country.

Hurts is beloved in Alabama for how he put the team before himself last season. Remember, people were just absolutely certain that Hurts was going to use his redshirt and shut it down after the first few games and then transfer.

Yeah, that didn’t happen.

Instead, Hurts went from 26-2 as a starter to backing up Tua. Hurts’ leadership off the bench was inspiring. Then, against Georgia, Hurts saved the Crimson Tide.

Tua couldn’t finish the job.

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Could’ve been worse on his hip. He strolled through a play and the pass was high on a screen. If the ball is in the WR’s chest, IDK if Coach gets ran over or not. He was right there...

He isn’t wrong. Tua has a chance to make up for the sloppy play end of last year.

I think Tua gets a pass against Georgia. He was hurt the 3rd offensive play of the game. He could barely put weight on the ankle, before he hurt the other ankle in the 4th.

Despite that, had his receivers not gotten a case of the drops, Bama wins that game by two touchdowns.

Full stat breakdown: Alabama's 2019 A-Day Game - BamaOnLine By Charlie Potter TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama held its annual A-Day Spring Game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday with the White team defeating the Crimson squad, 31-17. Like most spring games, several players saw the field for the Crimson Tide and thus contributed to the box score.

Here is how all of the scholarship players fared, stat-wise, in the spring scrimmage. (I am not so sure that all the players listed are actually on Scholarship.. )

QB Mac Jones
19-23, 271 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
4 carries, -23 yards

QB Tua Tagovailoa
19-37, 265 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
6 carries, -6 yards

QB Taulia Tagovailoa
6-9, 93 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
3 carries, -18 yards

QB Paul Tyson
1-5, 8 yards, 1 INT
1 carry, -6 yards

RB Brian Robinson
11 carries, 42 yards
6 catches, 52 yards
1 tackle

RB Chadarius Townsend
4 carries, 30 yards
1 catch, 7 yards

RB Najee Harris
9 carries, 23 yards, 1 TD
1 catch, 12 yards

RB Jerome Ford
6 carries, 2 yards
2 catches, 10 yards

RB Jahi Brown
1 catch, 0 yards

WR John Metchie
5 catches, 133 yards

WR Jerry Jeudy
5 catches, 104 yards, 1 TD

WR DeVonta Smith
6 catches, 95 yards

WR Jaylen Waddle
4 catches, 59 yards, 1 TD
1 carry, 8 yards

WR Tyrell Shavers
4 catches, 45 yards

TE Cameron Latu
2 catches, 37 yards

WR Xavier Williams
2 catches, 35 yards, 1 TD

TE Miller Forristall
3 catches, 32 yards

TE Kedrick James
1 catch, 29 yards, 1 TD
1 tackle

WR Henry Ruggs III
1 catch, 8 yards

WR Slade Bolden
1 catch, 6 yards
1-1, 31 yards

TE Giles Amos
1 catch, 4 yards

LB Shane Lee
8 tackles, 1 INT

S Xavier McKinney
7 tackles, 1 TFL

LB Joshua McMillon
7 tackles, 1 TFL

LB Dylan Moses
6 tackles

CB Nigel Knott
6 tackles

DL Phidarian Mathis
5 tackles, 2 sacks

S Jared Mayden
4 tackles

CB Josh Jobe
4 tackles, 3 PBUs

LB Anfernee Jennings
4 tackles, 1 sack

CB Scooby Carter
4 tackles

S Daniel Wright
4 tackles

S Eddie Smith
4 tackles, 1 INT

DL Justin Eboigbe
4 tackles, 1 sack

LB Eyabi Anoma
3 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFLs, 2 PBUs, 1 QBH

LB Ale Kaho
3 tackles

LB Christopher Allen
3 tackles, 2 sacks

S Shyheim Carter
3 tackles

LB Markail Benton
3 tackles

CB Trevon Diggs
2 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU

DL Christian Barmore
2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL

DL LaBryan Ray
2 tackles

DL Raekwon Davis
2 tackles, 1 sack

DL Antonio Alfano
2 tackles, 2 sacks

DL DJ Dale
1 tackle, 1 sack

DL Stephon Wynn
1 tackle

LB Wes Baumhower
1 tackle

CB Brandon Bishop
1 tackle

LB Jaylen Moody
1 INT, 1 TD

LB Jarez Parks
1 QBH

LB William Cooper
1 QBH

PK Will Reichard
1-1, 43 yards
6 punts, 253 yards, 42.2 avg., 47 long

PK Joseph Bulovas
1-3, 34 yards

P Skyler DeLong
4 punts, 190 yards, 47.5 avg., 54 long, 2 I20, 2 50+

P Mike Bernier
1 punt, 34 yards

Photos: Alabama's 2019 A-Day Game BamaOnLine - By Denon McMillan
Najee Harris

NOTES and Observations from watching the Game:

Tua to Juedy (while successful) was not as successful as it could have been; lost track of the misses between this duo (4+ >)

Mac Jones - Another A-Day of winning the QB stats race. Played a lot more than the other backup's and while starting rough, picked it up.

Taulia Tagovailoa 93 yards on 6-of-9 with 1 Interception. (impressive TD throw to Waddle) seems to be the competition for #2 with Mac (Tyson would love to have a do over for Saturday - 1 of 5 with a Pick6)

The WR's not named D.Smith, JJ, HRIII, J Waddle - Metchie showed out and X Williams had a good game coming off a RS year; T. Shavers had a impressive game also - 4 for 45 - not sure there will be a lot of room for more than 4 WR stars but these guys give nice argument for maybe 6

LB's - Lee showed out with most tackles for all LB's 8 and an interception. Anoma was very impressive also, very disruptive

Have to call out Josh Jobe - very physical (see unnecessary roughness against D Smith early in the game) But he was in the receivers' face all game it seemed.

Kicking/ Punting... Mike Bernier only punted once and it was a replay of last year 34 yds. But DeLONG lived up to his name 3 over 50 yds (avg 47+)
PK - Bulovas (Almost missed his 1st PAT) but was 100 % for the day as was Will Reichart.
FG's - WR-1for 1 43 yds; Bulovas 1 for 3 (around 30 some odd yds missing 2 from beyond 40)
(could see the Fall as the Delong/Reichart show)

TE Miller was the featured receiving TE. Latu caught 1 as did Amos. Amos seemed to be the blocker/Hback of the group. could still use depth in this group... Latu may well have a change of position that will stick.

Full Video of the A-Day Presser 11:24

“In the next few days we will meet with every player on the team. We’ll go over their strengths and weaknesses, what they need to work on so they have a chance to improve and each individual has a chance to improve over the summer. That’s the next goal that we have."
Wondering if there will be any additional transfers after this week?
Seems every year after the game and "the talk" there are guys who decide to take their talents to another school. If so, hope they find the right program for their success.

Any ideas who may add their names to "the Portal"?

3 of Bulova's 4 misses last year were under 40 yards. His only miss longer was 50+, 3 for 3 on 40-49.

I wouldn't trot out 2 kickers in any instance, Bulovas hasn't shown he's particularly good at any niche aspect.

His kickoffs aren't great either, not enough touchbacks and too many out of bounds.

Someone really needs to outright win the kicking job...