Tua Tagovailoa has been in pressure situations before. Second-and-26, anyone?
Those moments come with the territory of being a quarterback.
It’s the same with kickers. Two seconds on the clock, your team is trailing by two points and the outcome all hinges on you and your foot.
But what about the holder? Before the kicker can do his job, the holder has to do his.
Tagovailoa was named Alabama’s holder this season, taking over for last year’s starter Mac Jones, the backup quarterback.
It’s a job he doesn’t take lightly.
“Holding is actually a really hard thing,” he said. “I literally think it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. To match with the center and put the ball down to have the laces facing forward — that’s not an easy task.
“If (the laces) are in the back and you have to rotate it, and sometimes when you rotate it, the ball slips off your finger that’s holding it. I think of a situation where, let’s say it’s (a tie game) and it’s the fourth quarter and I got to go out there and hold and there is two seconds left — I’m thinking if I catch the ball and I spin it and it goes off my fingertips, it’s my fault.”
Tagovailoa gave an indication that even though there is some pressure as a holder, he’s fine with it.
“I actually practice my holding more than I do on my throwing,” he joked.
