Hurts, Tua, Jones and Bryce….how they’ve impacted the program

I feel like (with all due respect to Blake Sims and Jake Coker) people years from now will point to 2016 to at least 2021 and say “these players/QBs had the most profound impact on Saban’s team and recruiting.”


I remember the air around the program feeling different with Tua cause it was just something we weren’t used to. You hear players from the west coast mention Tua all the time when talking about Alabama and their decision or how they were exposed to the program etc. somewhat similar to Mariota with Oregon except on a much larger scale. I believe even though him coming off the bench was kind of his last national championship, his highlights will be what propelled an entire generation of offensive recruits to come to Alabama, since it showcased what was possible with all the talent Alabama had along with a top flight field general.

Jalen Hurts was much the same but more of a proof of concept in my personal opinion. He’s more athletically dynamic than Tua and much more durable but needs to be catered to with the gameplan to accentuate what he brings to the table. Brian Daboll, as the bills are finding out, is an absolute arse coordinator when 1. things aren’t going his way and 2. he doesn’t have the best players in the league. Thank you, Lincoln, for showing what Jalen is capable of after his transfer. Honestly I hate equating Jalen to just a piece of concept art because he’s another great ambassador to the program that I I’ll always think highly of, especially for all his selflessness.

Not really much to be about Mac Jones other than I believe he’ll break about a 40 year stigma of Alabama QBs being butt in the NFL. Tua’s coming around and Jalen could turn things around if Sirianni decided to keep investing in putting talent around Hurts. Mac is in the best situation with the best staff and has the perfect mindset for the program he’s in. I believe he’ll have Super Bowl in under 5 years if they don’t go deep this year.

Bryce may not follow under what I mentioned but I do feel he’s indirectly a product of Tua’s influence of Alabama’s recruiting of the west. He’s mechanically, arm strength and talent wise Nick’s best QB so far and we will unlikely not have another like him in terms of the total package. Mac would’ve been perfect this year, but Bryce’s skill set was a necessity this year, not a luxury, which may or may not be the case next year. I’m hoping his impact is equally as large as Tua’s given the atmosphere on the west coast is about to violently change. All the Najees and Tua’s and Bryce’s may not be so inclined to travel all the way here anymore.