We have seen the last of Tua Tagovailoa for Alabama and Nick Saban.
Setting the scene. Alabama is up 35 – 7 and Tua is begging Nick Saban to keep him in one more drive. Why? That alone is a selfish move because you’re putting your stats above your health and your team’s success. Nick Saban, as a coach has to say a hard no to a guy who is clearly not 100%.
After begging to stay in the game for one more drive “to practice a 2-minute drill”, Tua then injures his hip and is seen screaming in pain. What are you doing Nick Saban? Now, instead of Mac Jones starting against Mississippi State to rest Tua for Auburn, you start Tua for Mississippi State and lose Tua for the Auburn game. That makes no sense to start an injured quarterback in a game you are going to win.
Tua was seen holding a towel to his nose to stop the blood from gushing. His helmet was knocked loose and hit his nose.
Playoff hopes dashed?
This also has an effect on Alabama’s playoff hopes. Will Alabama have the same vote of confidence from the committee with their starting quarterback injured? Even if Alabama wins today, I wouldn’t be shocked to see them get jumped by one or more teams. The loss of their quarterback alone has the capabilities to derail their team and doesn’t provide them with the same safety net as they once had. Now, if Minnesota and Oregon handle their business soldily today, dont be shocked to see alot of conversation regarding their playoff position.
Mac Jones will have a buffer game next week to prepare for his start for Auburn. Alabama will take on Western Carolina next saturday. However, it is inexcusable that Tua would be playing any time before the Iron Bowl matchup.
Mac Jones’s only full game action came when Alabama played Arkansas. Jones went 38 for 54 and 235 yards. He also added three scores to his resume.
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1 Comment
Why are the people writing the article so afraid to blame Nick Saban? he is to blame it doesn’t matter what he was working on Tua, should not have been in that game, he could have worked on that in Practice in a controlled type scrimmage, the bottom line is he wanted to run the score up in case it came to that in the play-offs, all he thinks about is winning, Alabama can’t win unless they have all the five star players, Saban is a weak Coach that he Coaches are all skilled players that can make things happen without Coaching, just think before the LSU game, he was acting as if he wasn’t sure if TUA, was going to start, the more reason you would hold him out of a game that a back-up could win and allow him to rest I was surprised he didn’t get hurt against LSU.