Taulia and the Tide: Alabama Football may not need a 2018 QB recruit
By Ronald Evans
Jalen, Tua, Mac Jones, and Taulia Tagovailoa. Alabama football may not need to sign a 2018 Quarterback recruit.
We must admit at the outset that this discussion is based upon a risky hypothetical. It presumes that Tua’s younger brother, 2019 recruit, Taulia Tagovailoa, will choose Alabama football. Taulia has an offer but so far he has said his college choice will not be made until the fall of 2018.
‘Little Tua’ has also said the Crimson Tide is his top school. Could it be that adding a 2018, QB blue-chipper like Emory Jones or Jarren Williams would discourage Taulia from joining his older brother in Tuscaloosa?
Additionally, there are questions about Taulia’s potential. In two seasons at Kapolei High School in Hawaii, Taulia threw for over 6700 yards and 64 touchdowns. How good was the opposition? We don’t know about the Hawaii high school opposition but we know a lot about the coaching.
Former Hawaii, SMU and Atlanta Falcons head coach, June Jones was Taulia’s offensive coordinator last season. Jones says Tau compares very favorably with Tua. Based on the 247Sports Composite, Taulia is a 4-Star and the No. 8 rated Dual-threat QB in the nation. He has six college offers: Alabama; Oregon; Hawaii; Florida Atlantic; Syracuse and Utah.
It is problematic to compare a high school player to college players but some suggest Taulia is a better runner than his brother and a better passer than Jalen. The only blemish in a rosy potential for Taulia is his height. He is a shade under 6 feet. Five-foot-anything QB’s are generally suspect as passers.
Check out some highlights from Taulia’s Thompson High School victory over Oak Mountain.
Taulia’s complete dual-threat package combined with poise could make his compact stature moot. Friday night, Taulia led Thompson High School in Alabaster to its first-ever win against Alabama football powerhouse, Hoover.
Taulia leads Thompson to big victory
With Thompson trailing 25-24, Taulia connected with a 98-yard pass and apparent touchdown. The TD was nullified by a Thompson penalty. Undaunted Taulia led his team on a 98-yard drive that ended with a TD pass and two-point pass completion conversion. The final score was Thompson 32 – Hoover 25. Taulia passed for 226 yards in the win.
In Alabama high school circles, it was a big win. Still, it is a long way from becoming an Alabama football starting quarterback. Assuming Taulia’s college potential is legit, can the Crimson Tide be assured he will choose Alabama football?
Based upon the current roster, Taulia would have to wait behind his brother for a year or two. Plus he would have to beat out Mac Jones. Knowing he could be a Tide starter for two years might be acceptable to the young man. How does that change when the Tide signs Emory Jones or Jarren Williams in 2018?
Nick Saban wants to sign a QB in every recruiting class. Maybe – and it is a BIG MAYBE – skipping 2018 to lockup Taulia for 2019 might be a good decision.
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Waiting for Taulia would be a big risk. Mac could transfer. Tua or Jalen could go down with a career-ending injury. Nick Saban is not a ‘big-risk’ taker. So the 2018 class will include a QB. But with Taulia almost in the pipeline, a lesser-known QB like 3-Star, James Foster might be fine.