re: Tua would've transferred if kept on sidelines for last game

Here's my take in a nutshell:

It became obvious in the 2016 natty that Jalen has severe limitations in the passing game. He worked on improving in the offseason and made some progress, but had/has too far to go to be a complete QB. And Tua had typical freshman-itis in 2017: I can beat you with my arm no matter what. It took him till November to figure out he can't do that at this level and beyond. He's still learning, but it's sinking in. Saban, above all else, values protecting the football. He will play the player with less ability if said player plays smarter with the ball. He does this to a fault. I have said it many times and I will repeat it again; Saban is the GOAT. But if he has a fault it is this: he is ultra-conservative, especially in big games. He often plays not to lose instead of playing to win. And in a minuscule sample size of losses, I would say it bites him in the arse more often than it should.

Now for some blatant speculation on my part that we will never know the answer to: I humbly submit as an armchair QB that Tua gave us a better chance to win the Iron Bowl than Jalen. He also gave us a better chance to lose the Iron Bowl. Saban did what he always does and went with the safer choice in Jalen. If he rolls the dice with Tua, I think we win. Despite the possibility of TO's and Pick 6's, I think his upside would have negated any mistakes he might have made and we win the game. We'll never know. What I do know is, to my great chagrin, our GOAT will never change his ways and play riverboat gambler in a big game, and most of the time, his way will work and we will win. But it makes the losses more irritating. The closest he has come to being a gambler is in the first natty versus Clemson with the onside kick. Savor that moment because it was Saban's deeply suppressed wild side. You may never see it again.