Alabama football quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa was sensational again against Southern Mississippi and afterward admitted he needs to continue to improve.
After listening to Alabama football QB, Tua Tagovailoa discuss his mistakes after a five-touchdown performance Saturday, my mind raced back to the offseason. Tua took a lot of heat for the Alabama Crimson Tide failures last January. Some of it was even deserved.
Following the national championship loss, he never dodged questions. He took responsibility. One either confused or duplicitous pundit stated Tua needed to humble himself. Tua never flinched from such nonsense. He ignored it and went about the business of getting better.
After two, back-to-back five touchdowns passing games – he is stilled focused on getting better. In post-game comments Saturday, he took responsibility for the poorly executed late, first-half drive. He admitted he should have thrown the ball away and not taken a sack. He said the mistake was on him and not his offensive line. Smart Alabama football quarterbacks have exhibited such modesty and honesty going back to at least Pat Trammell.
College football is a team game. A QB may think he is the best in the SEC – yes Kellen Mond and Jimbo Fisher, we are calling you out – but shut up about it. It takes more than a great quarterback to win championships.
A third of the way into the 2019 regular season, it is looking like this Alabama football team will need Tua to be truly exceptional in action rather than words. Can he do it? Consider this; the Alabama football career leader in touchdown passes is A.J. McCarron. A.J. had 77 as a Crimson Tide QB. It took him 46 games to get to 71. Tua is there, after 27 games. Yes, the game has changed and today’s Tide offense is more dependent on the pass – but Tua being the best pure passer in Tide history is hardly contestable.
Now working with his third offensive coordinator and fourth coach (counting Enos) in three seasons, Tua is learning another offensive scheme. Both he and Steve Sarkisian deserve credit for the learning process going so well.
Alabama football fans can agonize over a young and thin defense and an injured kicker. There is no reason to fret over Tua. He will continue to improve as the season progresses. Plus, he has the best four wide receivers in college football.
For all he has achieved, Tua had the exact perspective needed in the offseason, when he said,
Tua: "I still haven't really done anything. We won a championship when I was a freshman, but it doesn't matter because we weren't able to finish it last year."
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) April 12, 2019
Pat Trammell could not have put it any better. For those who don’t know Trammell’s story, check out the video below.
For those fans who missed the news. Prized 2020 quarterback recruit, Bryce Young and his family were in Bryant-Denny Saturday. If Young decides to flip from USC to the Tide, the decision could be known soon.