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Alabama Football: A healthy Tua will have a record-breaking season

By Ronald Evans

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide walks off the field after his teams 44-16 loss to the Clemson Tigers in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide walks off the field after his teams 44-16 loss to the Clemson Tigers in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Tua Tagovailoa is already an Alabama football record-setting quarterback. A healthy Tua could set more Crimson Tide and SEC records in 2019.

It is a cliché which is nonetheless true that Alabama football is not about individual accomplishments. Individual honors and records are worthy rewards but for the Alabama Crimson Tide program, championships are held if far higher esteem.

Teams, not individuals win championships. Last season, Alabama football won a SEC Championship but failed to win the championship that matters most. In the minds of many, that means individual honors from last season are diminished, almost tainted.

The 2019 season could be filled with many more individual awards for Crimson Tide players.  Awards watch lists are filled with Alabama football players.

One of those Alabama football players, quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa could set records never before achieved by a Crimson Tide quarterback. No Tide QB has ever won a Heisman. No Tide QB holds any SEC passing touchdowns or yardage records, though Tua came close last season.

Alabama Football Records held by Tua

  • Single-season Passing Yards – 2018; 3.966 yards
  • Single-season Passing Touchdowns – 2018; 43
  • Touchdown Passes in a Game – 2018; 5 TDs (shared with Gary Hollingsworth)
  • Single-season Total Offense Yards – 2018; 4,156 yards
  • Single-season Total Touchdowns – 2018; 48 TDs
  • Total Touchdowns in a Game – 2018, 6 TDs

Alabama Football Records in reach of Tua

  • Career Total Touchdowns – A.J. McCarron had 80 TDs. Jalen Hurts had 71 TDs. Tua enters the 2019 season with 61 TDs.
  • Career Passing Touchdowns – A. J. McCarron has the Crimson Tide record with 77 TDs. Tua is currently No. 2 with 54 TDs.

SEC Quarterback Records Tua could break

As mentioned above, Tua came close last season, coming up one short of the SEC record, held by Drew Lock for 44 passing touchdowns in a season.

Tua’s passing yards last season were 310 yards short of passing Tim Couch for the single-season, passing yards, SEC record of 4,275 yards.

A Tua record likely to never be broken

Tua holds the Alabama Crimson Tide, SEC and National Record for Passing Efficiency in a single-season. Tagovailoa edged out Kyler Murray last season, 199.4 to 199.2.

Tua breaking more records in 2019 comes down to four things. First and foremost will be his health. Next will be his number of snaps, affected by maybe many blowouts, but also by the total number of games played. Last, will be possibly a somewhat more conservative offensive approach, orchestrated by Nick Saban and Steve Sarkisian.

Our appreciation to Sports Reference for stats. Their resources are exceptional.

Next. A Dangerous Nick Saban. dark

As we said from the start, none of these individual records mean much without a Championship. We are confident, Tua Tagovailoa would agree.

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