Alabama Football: Another Tua Tagovailoa injury, though minor is troubling

Given his injury history and impact on Alabama football, no injury is perceived as minor for Tua Tagovailoa. The latest ‘minor’ injury alarms Tide fans.

The alarm bells are ringing across the Crimson Nation. Tua Tagovailoa is hurt again! Every report states the injury is minor, only a slight problem with a hamstring. Hamstring injuries are normally pulls or strains to the muscle running down the back of the thigh.

They occur frequently to athletes, particularly to runners, basketball and soccer players. Football players are the next most susceptible group of athletes. As this orthopedic site explains there are stages of seriousness with hamstring injuries. The recovery from most occurs with just RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation), but more serious hamstring injuries may require surgery.

Take a deep breath Crimson Tide fans – please. We IN NO WAY are suggesting Tua has an injury which will require surgery. The only firm facts on this situation, compliments of al.com are that Tua will not attend this weekend’s Manning Passing Academy. He was slated to join Archie, Peyton and Eli as a camp counselor.

Based on the limited information currently available, it is fair to categorize Tua’s canceled camp visit as precautionary. Not everyone is taking the news so calmly. The ever-witty Cecil Hurt described the response of some Tide fans.

Another serious injury to Tua would, to most of us, feel akin to an end to at least a part of the world. Problems associated with Alabama football fans having such an extreme response are not the fault of Tua Tagovailoa. But he has to carry the burden of them. Just as he carries so many of our football hopes and dreams.

There is also the reality Tua has been hurt more frequently than most players with only a 15-game starting career. He has suffered through a broken hand, two different knee injuries and a severe ankle injury. So many injuries, when he looked a tad gun-shy in the pocket in the Crimson Tide A-Day game, fans doubted he had fully recovered from last winter’s injuries.

Nick Saban dismissed those concerns by stating Tua was fully healthy this spring. But he is not fully healthy now. Even, as a couple of insiders have suggested, it is only a slight pull, it is troubling to fans. Heck, a Tua hang-nail on his throwing hand would throw some of us into a dither.

What is a legitimate question and at least worthy of some concern is Tua injury-prone? From a physiological standpoint, we are not sure how injury-prone is defined. Is it a real and if it is, does it describe Tua? We don’t have an answer.