re: I am in awe of Saban's courage

I know right!?!?

And how big of a fricking hero was Hurts!!? Heard the commentators calling him a hero twenty times for clapping on the sidelines. True. fricking. hero. Clapping like a hero.

I would not call it courage considering Bama had no shot at winning the game with Hurts they Way it was being played. Making the switch was his only option at trying to win the game and it paid off for Bama.

quote:

---

I am trying to not sound disrespectful because I do believe Saban is the greatest college coach ever and hate the fact he coaches for Bama. I also think it was smart to make the change but why does he get a pass for not playing Tua until the championship game?

He is the better qb. I never thought Hurts was nothing more than a glorified rb and they did lose the Auburn game (where he could have played Tua and probably had a better chance to win) which almost cost him this opportunity to play Tua and if he didn’t play him in the championship game there is a good chance going into next year Hurts would have started again because Tua was unproven in a game.

---

I've got a little secret for you. Saban (and everybody around the athletic complex) has known that Tua was the better(talent wise) QB. Hell, Saban even said as much when confronted by an NFL scout after a practice last month. What folks don't understand is that there are a multitude of considerations when changing your starting QB of 2 years, for a freshman. The staff has gameplaned this possibility, but have been holding tight to see if they would have to pull the trigger. BY the end of the 1st half on Monday night, it was obvious that the time had come.
I'm not taking anything away from Coach Saban, but there was a ton more preparation and thought surrounding the move than what the media would lead us to believe.

Yep, Saban adapts instead of staying stubborn.

Don't get me wrong, Saban has been stubborn sometimes, but who isn't that at times? But, Saban has shown time after time he's willing to change if its needed.
---------------------------------------------

Saban witnessed this lasts 2 seasons

Last years Playoff
Bama not blowing out Washington in semi's, but only won 21-7. That score should've been 40-7, but Bama offense didn't take advantage when it could.

Bama gets in title game and championship worthy D shuts down Clemson for 3 quarters or so, and with just a little help , would've had energy to finish that game, but when offense needed to step up most. Bama's offense couldn't even get a 1st down, especially after losing Bo, it was the Hurt's show and Bama's offense looked completely different without Bo's identity. After Bama's defense sold out for 3 quarters, to stop one of best players in CFB for two seasons (D Watson, should've won Heisman), Bama's defense need help that last quarter, but didn't get it. Shoot, Bama's offense play-calling play-calling didn't help with that either. Why they called all those pass calls late is beyond me, but we got a preview of Bama's offense this season at the end of last years title game, and it wasn't good. When faced with decent Defense, a bunch of 3 and outs is what was behind a Hurt's led Bama offesive door.
--------------------------------------
This years playoff
Bama should blown Clemson out in semi's, but only won 24-6 though. Bama's offense not taking advantage kept that Clemson game way closer than it should've been

Bama's offense started Georgia game, and should've scored in 1st quarter, but Bama's offense once again, missed easy TD chance. Thus, Bama missed OK opportunity to set tone, and Bama offense inability to even string a couple 1st down together, put our defense in bad position again. If Bama stayed with Hurt's at QB, opponents defenses could've continue to play within that 20 yard box to defend Bama, but changing to QB made defenses play honest. Georgia's D had to now defend the whole field again, and the results speak for themselves. It was nice to see Bama's other play-makers get opportunities to make plays, I bet those forgotten players are even more happy about that then I was.

---------------------------------------

Saban was witnessing the same scenario playing out right in front of him, but Luckily Saban had the guts to do something many coaches would never do. Saban made the needed QB change, that gave his team best chance to win, and that was the fairest thing Saban could've done for every other Bama player who sold out during those games.

Kudos Saban! I didn't think you could outdo that offside kick coaching call in title game, but you did...

There is a Jalen Hurts cult within the Bama fans no doubt. Anybody that saw the Bama A-Day Game this past spring had to know that #13 has WAY MORE potential at QB than #2. Then again why is Bo Scarbrough getting all those snaps..Hootie Jones....F'ing Tony Brown still playing and he couldn't cover a table with a sheet.

Nick is loyal.....to the point that he might not be

Kirby got lucky because he was in the same sport Nick was at QB...only his starter was hurt and Kirby had to put the best player ahead of the starter.

Shet happens..........Forrest Gump

quote:

---

I've got a little secret for you. Saban (and everybody around the athletic complex) has known that Tua was the better(talent wise) QB. Hell, Saban even said as much when confronted by an NFL scout after a practice last month. What folks don't understand is that there are a multitude of considerations when changing your starting QB of 2 years, for a freshman. The staff has gameplaned this possibility, but have been holding tight to see if they would have to pull the trigger. BY the end of the 1st half on Monday night, it was obvious that the time had come.
I'm not taking anything away from Coach Saban, but there was a ton more preparation and thought surrounding the move than what the media would lead us to believe

---

This type of nuance is wasted in this bunch CC. They think they're watching a high quality video game instead of contest of a couple hundred individuals with their individual emotions and egos. Psychology doesn't mean much when you see the world thru the prism of a meme.

Dan Lebatard led off the local hour of his show talking about this yesterday.

He said maybe no coach other than saban would have switched to a freshman backup qb at halftime of the NCG. Said the reason why is saban has been there so many times now and he has so much equity built up at Bama that he can coach in any game and make any move with zero fear at all of what the fans and money/power people of the program think. Lebatard is right on the money and it does make saban an even better coach too.

Things worked out. The auburn game is in the past so no need to go there and play if only. But I’ll bet good money that there were a lot of coaches watching the game Monday and when Tua hit the last touchdown pass they had a oh shite moment.
tDynasty is alive and well.

quote:

---

The game was 10-7 at half time.

---

And 90 seconds in to the second half, Bama had a 14-10 lead and over 200 yards of offense. The wheels didn't fall off until Bama turned it over at the Auburn 12 when down 20-14 and came away with 0 points.

I don't think there's any doubt they thought Bama could win the game.

I agree - certainly still had freshman moments and poor decisions - what i was going for when I said "we don't know where he was at that point". Tua has the arm and has always had it and will continue to improve. I always thought it would be this offseason when he took the lead.

Also, Tua did very well in one half against a team not at all ready for that attack. Hard to say what the outcome would have been if he had taken over in the regular season where teams had film and time to gameplan for him and he was the lead man.

Saban handled it great and Bama came home with the N.C. despite a brutal year injury wise after losing tons of talent to the draft. Lots of young people stepped up - again not sure where they were before the bowl practice - but Saban often goes with a known commodity at the skill positions who are familiar with the blocking / blitz pickups and are known to hold on to the football.