Tua To Win The Heisman?

By: Parnell Saint-Preux

Alabama Crimson Tide sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is having a sensational start in the College Football season. The Crimson Tide are 8-0 and ranked number 1 the nation. Tagovailoa is completing 70.4% percent of his passes with 25 touchdown passes and zero interceptions.

Not only he’s a threat to the passing game, but he’s also a threat to the running game. Tagovailoa is complicated for defensive players to evaluate. Some of Tagavailoa’s components are his awareness and elusiveness.

Most people believe it’s Tagovailoa’s Heisman’s to lose. Considering how Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray loss to rival Texas 48-45 and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins disappointing 29 point loss to Purdue, it’s clear that Tagovailoa is the frontrunner.

During the summer, several questions were asked as to who will be named the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide. Coach Nick Saban kept the dialogue going by naming Tagovailoa and junior quarterback Jalen Hurts as co-starters.

In the national championship against the Georgia Bulldogs, Saban infamously benched Hurts and subsequently inserted Tagovailoa.  Afterward, the Crimson Tide was compensated by Tagovailoa’s 13 point comeback against Georgia, including the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime.

Of all the quarterbacks Saban has had in his illustrious career in Alabama and LSU, he’s never had a quarterback of Tagovailoa’s combination of accuracy, arm strength, anticipation, and athleticism. Not only Tagovailoa has a great chance to win the Heisman and another national championship, but he could also be a conceivable number 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, who coached Tagovailoa in the “Elite 11” tournament, had enormous praise of the Crimson Tide quarterback.

“I think Tua’s a generational talent. I mean, I’ve said this over and over and over,” Dilfer said. “I said it a year and a half ago before he got to Alabama. I think that he’s a kid that can go through his college career and never lose a game, considering where he’s at. … I mean, he’s that kind of good. The best I’ve ever seen.”

Dilfer provided more information on his bold statement “The best I’ve ever seen.”

“Of the 32 NFL starters right now, I want to say 20 of them — my numbers may be off — have gone through our Elite 11,” Dilfer said. “I know the other ones well. He’s the greatest high school talent I’ve ever seen, and it’s not close. But it’s not just how he throws the ball and his movement skills. It’s his maturity; it’s his focus; it’s his football IQ; it’s his leadership. It’s everything. He’s the complete package.

“And you’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. He can do things with a football that I’ve only seen a couple other people be able to do. And he can think quickly, and nothing bothers him, and he’s a great leader. Like I said, he just checks every box.”

If Tagovailoa continues his excellent play, his draft stock in 2020 will skyrocket. There are plenty of comparisons between him and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Most draft experts love the comparison given their personalities and incredible play/leadership. It’s too early to tell about Tagovailoa’s future, however, the future looks bright for the 20-year-old.

Even though Tagovaolia has been remarkable, others would point out the lack of competition he’s faced this season. Some are not sold on Tagovailoa winning the Heisman, due to the sub-par competition he’s faced, particularly Louisville, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas. In the end,  it still does not diminish his on the field contributions.

The Crimson have a huge test next week as they head on the road to face 4th ranked LSU, a potential matchup in the College Football Playoffs. This will be a big test for Tagovailoa to destroy the narrative that he can’t succeed against a top-ranked team. If Tagovailoa wins, unquestionably, he will remain as the leading candidate for the Heisman. However, if he loses, a legitimate case could be made for Haskins and Murray.