Yes. Unless Jalen plays really well. Otherwise I don’t think Saban will have a choice. I think this parallels pretty similarly with OSU when they played Cardale and JT. Two QBs with different skill sets. The offense struggled to get any rhythm all year because Meyer tried so hard to manage both of them. Both had shown at times that they could lead the offense efficiently but the offense was stuck all year. JT was voted as a captain but Cardale starte. It’s really difficult to make that work. At some point Saban has to come out and say this is our guy and we are going to roll with him. Personally I believe that guy should be Tua. Bama has let QB battles race on into the season before, but it’s been newcomers who haven’t proven anything yet. When it’s two who have had some success it makes situation much more difficult. The only reason to play both of them is simply to prevent a transfer. I don’t think it helps Bama to play both.

 

If Tua makes more mistakes than Jalen, Saban won't play him. He knows exactly what he has with Jalen, and can absolutely win it all with Hurts at the helm. If Tua turns it over, he won't play.

If Tua makes more mistakes than Jalen, Saban won't play him. He knows exactly what he has with Jalen, and can absolutely win it all with Hurts at the helm. If Tua turns it over, he won't play.

If Alabama starts Jalen all year I think they take a step back. Again unless Jalen has stepped his game up. They will still be one of the best teams in the country but they have some legit questions that need to be answered on defense for maybe the first time ever. On days where you can’t over power people I.e. Auburn and Georgia last year, Tua can win those games.

If Alabama starts Jalen all year I think they take a step back. Again unless Jalen has stepped his game up. They will still be one of the best teams in the country but they have some legit questions that need to be answered on defense for maybe the first time ever. On days where you can’t over power people I.e. Auburn and Georgia last year, Tua can win those games.

 

Tua is gonna be Haskins, a lot of TD’s and a fair amount of picks. Still, the fact that he can stretch the field will keep him going. Bodes well with the #1 RB in the country in two different classes.

I will be honest. I do not keep up with the off-season scuttlebutt, but when this thread popped up I was shocked. I had just assumed it was Tua's job to lose and didn't realize there was, or even should be, a competition based upon the performance in last season's title game.

Edited August 28, 20188 yr by bugatti

Tua is gonna be Haskins, a lot of TD’s and a fair amount of picks. Still, the fact that he can stretch the field will keep him going. Bodes well with the #1 RB in the country in two different classes.

Exactly. Here’s how I see it. If you start Hurts he’s never going to lose you a game based on his play, but when you need him to I don’t think he is able to carry the team with his arm and against great teams he’s going to have to at some point. Tua is almost the exact opposite. Bama will win a bunch of games based on Tuas play. He just is that talented. But he’s going to have a game or two where the only reason it’s close is because Tua is having a bad game. The idea of that probably gives Saban a heart attack, but if you believe in the rest of your team enough, the reward is well worth the risk IMO.

I will be honest. I do not keep up with the off-season scuttlebutt, but when this thread popped up I was shocked. I had just assumed it wasTua's job to lose and didn't realize there was, or even should be, a competition based upon the performance in last season's title game.

If the OSU and Maryland stuff didn’t happen this would have been the biggest storyline in the sport.

Exactly. Here’s how I see it. If you start Hurts he’s never going to lose you a game based on his play, but when you need him to I don’t think he is able to carry the team with his arm and against great teams he’s going to have to at some point. Tua is almost the exact opposite. Bama will win a bunch of games based on Tuas play. He just is that talented. But he’s going to have a game or two where the only reason it’s close is because Tua is having a bad game. The idea of that probably gives Saban a heart attack, but if you believe in the rest of your team enough, the reward is well worth the risk IMO.

 

You and I are OK with Saban not making the developmental investment in Tua... we can live with that lol.

You and I are OK with Saban not making the developmental investment in Tua... we can live with that lol.

Haha I’m rooting for Hurts to be the starter for sure.

I think Hurts starts Week 1. But Tua will eventually win the job.

I will be honest. I do not keep up with the off-season scuttlebutt, but when this thread popped up I was shocked. I had just assumed it was Tua's job to lose and didn't realize there was, or even should be, a competition based upon the performance in last season's title game.

 

Same here. Add in reports during the offseason about how Hurts likely won’t be at Bama when camp starts and I am even more shocked. Tua must have just had one good half and isn’t all we thought he was.

Same here. Add in reports during the offseason about how Hurts likely won’t be at Bama when camp starts and I am even more shocked. Tua must have just had one good half and isn’t all we thought he was.

 

And part of it is the speculative nature of college football. We do not know anything about these teams until the opening kickoff because there is no preseason and teams like to be as hush hush as possible. Tua might be the starter and we wouldn't know.

 

Tua also injured his finger during the Spring, so it ratcheted up the speculation since Hurts was taking all first team snaps from that point forward.

 

My assumption after last season is that Tua would start, Hurts would either be gone or transitioned to a WR or RB role, and some other blue chip player would be the backup.

And part of it is the speculative nature of college football. We do not know anything about these teams until the opening kickoff because there is no preseason and teams like to be as hush hush as possible. Tua might be the starter and we wouldn't know.

 

Tua also injured his finger during the Spring, so it ratcheted up the speculation since Hurts was taking all first team snaps from that point forward.

 

My assumption after last season is that Tua would start, Hurts would either be gone or transitioned to a WR or RB role, and some other blue chip player would be the backup.

Their 3rd string guy, Mac Jones, is no slouch.

Same here. Add in reports during the offseason about how Hurts likely won’t be at Bama when camp starts and I am even more shocked. Tua must have just had one good half and isn’t all we thought he was.

 

Tua is good, and could possibly be great by the time he's done at Bama, but his performance in the NC was overblown because it was in the biggest game of the year. His stat line wasn't eye-popping by any means.

If you're a Bama fan you know the frustrations with Jalen. For whatever reason, he couldn't or wouldn't throw the ball to open receivers all over the field. The offense was supposed to run they it did when Tua was in the game. Speaking of...I don't think you can minimize what the kid did. He came into the national championship game and put tossed 3 tds in one half on the biggest stage as a freshman. To think that he hasn't grown from being a freshman to a sophomore would be a bit short sighted. During the Sugar bowl prep in New Orleans Hurts didn't practice with flu symptoms. During those practices Saban said that Tua stat line was 52 for 54 against Bama's number 1 defense. While I know that's practice; I don't think most qb's could duplicate those numbers if it were just them and the WR's on the field by themselves. Tua is a great talent and he sees the field, again if you're a Bama fan you can see the difference even with the teammates when Tua is in the game. I'm a big Jalen fan, I hope he gets a chance to play in some different packages but I don't think he's a better qb than Tua.

I'd expect Puma to start, but Cunningham or Travis could make an impact.

 

. . . .

 

wait

 

. . .

 

did I misread the thread title? :laugh: