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Alabama Football: Jalen Hurts should start against Tennessee

By Jonathan Waldrop

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts in the first quarter of the AllState Sugar Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts in the first quarter of the AllState Sugar Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Jalen Hurts should start against the Vols. Not because Saban owes it to him but because it is best for the Alabama football team. The remaining games after Tennessee require a healthy Tua.

A standard and not incorrect response to all things Alabama football is Nick Saban knows best. Who are we as fans to think otherwise? The thing is there can be more than one correct response to a challenge. There can be relative merits to boldness and prudence.

The premise behind the argument Saban should start Jalen on Saturday is simple. It is also close to irrefutable. Alabama football cannot win a 2018 national championship without Tua. It can win several more games with Jalen, including against the Vols. So Nick needs to choose prudence over boldness.

If you read Harvard Health’s summation of the typical knee sprain, you will notice they recommend the “RICE” method of treating said injury:

  • Rest the joint
  • Ice the injured area
  • Compress the swelling
  • Elevate the injured knee

There’s a reason the acronym starts with “Rest the joint;” without rest, the knee is going to be at risk for exacerbation. Obviously, this is all in reference to Alabama football starting QB Tua Tagovailoa’s current injury.

Tagovailoa initially sprained his knee against Arkansas, practiced all week for Mizzou, played with a knee brace in the game and subsequently re-injured when attempting to slide for a first down. I’m not saying Alabama football head trainer Jeff Allen is wrong in his assessment of Tua’s injury. In fact, if it’s as minor as Saban claims it is, according to Harvard (a fine institution, from what I can gather) Tua should only need to rest it for 2-4 weeks.

Given how Allen and his staff seemingly brought back Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller from the dead last season, it stands to reason it may not take 2-4 weeks for Tua. This doesn’t change the fact that he needs to rest it.

Jalen has won in Knoxville before

Jalen Hurts is 26-2-as-a-starter for the Crimson Tide. Jalen Hurts needs to be the starting quarterback in Knoxville on Saturday. He’s won there before and despite the Vols’ improvement in 2018, he can absolutely win there again.

Coming off the bench this season, Hurts has thrown five touchdowns to one pick for 568 yards to go with a 74 percent completion average. Is he the gunslinger Tua is? No, he is not, but he’s also improved as a passer. His touch on long balls is dramatically different from what it was in 2016-2017.

Will Saban start Jalen? Probably not, but if he doesn’t Tua should be on a very limited pitch count. In those limited pitches, he should never run the football. He should never throw a block on a reverse or any other play for that matter. He should not hold on kicks. In between plays, he should not stand anywhere near the sideline, vulnerable to flying bodies from the action.

Next. Three keys to beat UT. dark

Better yet, protect Tua’s leg with bubble-wrap – from the time he gets off the plane in Knoxville until the return flight. Take no chances with any potentially adverse occurrences.

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