Here’s what people are saying about Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Bobby Curran, Hawaii sports radio host:
“People really identified Tua as a star from the time he was in ninth grade. There was never any doubt Tua was going to be a great player.”
Gary Danielson, CBS analyst and former NFL quarterback:
“All of us are envious of some of the abilities that Tua has and the talent that’s around him. It probably only comes around every once in a while that you have the ability to put this all together.”
Jay Barker, former Alabama quarterback:
“His talent is just crazy talent as a sophomore, true sophomore. The way that he throws it, his accuracy, his anticipation, shows you he has a lot of trust in these receivers.”
Greg McElroy, ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback:
“I have no problem saying Tua Tagovailoa is definitely the most talented quarterback Alabama has had under Nick Saban. That’s not close. That’s not a slight against me or AJ (McCarron) or anyone else. Just Tua is the best quarterback that Alabama has had. You have to defend every part of the field because he can push it over the top, he can work sideline to sideline.”
Billy Napier, Louisiana-Lafayette coach:
“It starts with the quarterback and what he’s been able to do in terms of accuracy, consistency as a passer, his ability to stand in the pocket, make decisions. I do think the guy is a good athlete, he’s a threat as a runner who can extend the play, which makes him even more dangerous.”
Matt Luke, Ole Miss coach:
“It starts with all the tools he has around him: good offensive line, good wide receivers, good backs, obviously good coaches, and then him making the decisions. What’s very impressive to me is (his) decision-making, and when it breaks down he’s able to extend the play with his feet, keep his eyes downfield and keep his composure. For a young quarterback, I think that’s pretty special.”
Mike Kirschner, head coach in 2017 Army All-American Bowl:
“His best attribute was his ability to extend plays. His ability to move around and make things happen after the play kind of breaks down. In a game like that, an all-star game like the Army game, you only have five or six practices to get ready before you play on Saturday afternoon. There’s not a lot of time to install a lot of intricate offensive or defensive schemes. The bottom line is, when you get a kid like that who can play with his feet as well as his arm, he’s got a great grasp of the game, his football IQ is very high.”
Kevin Wallace, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017 Army All-American game:
“From the first practice on, there’s no doubt that you’re dealing with elite talent. Tua’s ability to throw, his arm strength, his ability to move and obviously, he’s built like a fullback. His lower body is so powerful.”
Trent Dilfer, Elite 11 coach and former NFL coach:
“First impression was obviously, the talent was undeniable. You just watch the ball come off his hand, you see the strength in his lower body, you see the twitchiness in his body and you know that he has a ton of talent.
Wesley McGriff, Ole Miss defensive coordinator:
“The first thing, you have to account for the quarterback in the run game, which is always like a wildcat when you play against that type of quarterback. It’s wildcat every snap. We’ll mix up our chase calls and our cue calls with regard to the zone read to make sure we account for him and have a hat on him every single time. As you know, they have the talent to score from any place on the field.”
