Alabama Football: Why Tua Tagovailoa is the best to ever play at Alabama

Tua Post-snap Ability

I would say a vast majority of starting Power 5 quarterbacks understand how a defense operates. Many quarterbacks have great Pre-snap Knowledge; however, where the separation occurs is once the ball is snapped. The reads that are made pre-snap now are in motion and may not be what was expected.

It falls upon the quarterback to now read what the defense is giving him, and then combine this with what the offensive routes are and then process all this to understand where the ball needs to go.

This is where quarterbacks make their living and I have not seen anyone do it better than Tagovailoa. His ability to account for changes in the defense post-snap and know where his individual receiver progression should be, allows him to pick apart a defense.

Tagovailoa truly shows this ability when under pressure. There are plays he has made throughout his career at Alabama Football that shows he knows where his receivers are at all times. Look at the Vanderbilt game pass to DeVonta Smith or the Louisville pass to Jerry Jeudy. His ability under pressure to step up into the pocket, knowing he is going to get hit, but delay throwing for a second to allow separation to occur isn’t just an amazing college attribute, but a professional attribute.

Against Tennessee, his final pass to Henry Ruggs III demonstrated this to perfection. He has a linebacker bearing down on him, but he steps into the pressure to give him another second to allow Ruggs the separation needed and throws a strike down the field for a touchdown.

Tua’s Accuracy

Where Tagovailoa I believe has shown the greatest improvement from last year to this year is in his accuracy. His accuracy was amazing last year, but this year it has been at an elite level that you rarely see in a college quarterback.

It is hard to accurately describe with words how difficult some of the passes Tagovailoa has made truly are. The best way I know how to describe it is they are passes that even many NFL quarterbacks struggle with.

Tagovailoa’s pass to Jaylen Waddle against Tennessee was incredibly difficult. Waddle is in coverage with a defender running with him and has another Tennessee player playing underneath. Tagovailoa’s window to throw in was about 6 inches. If it is short it is picked or deflected. Too far left and it is picked or deflect. Too far to the right or deep and it is out of reach. The pass was a perfect pass.

This growth in his accuracy can be seen in each game this year and has led to his ability to light up some of the best coverages in college football.