Poll: Does Tua Stay or Go?

[TideEngineer08]

Whoa... no one, literally no one, has ever said Jones is better than Tua. Or that we would be better with Jones than Tua.

 

[B1GTide]

You've said we'd be better with Jones than with Tua.

My concern with Tua is around a singular thing - will he be there in December/January? If he is not and Mac is gone, 2020 is a wasted season. But if you can keep them both, 2020 is Alabama's to lose.

 

[CrimsonForce]

My concern with Tua is around a singular thing - will he be there in December/January? If he is not and Mac is gone, 2020 is a wasted season. But if you can keep them both, 2020 is Alabama's to lose.

Sorry, there's no way you can say that at this point in time. For all we know Mac could regress next year or if he does leave, Taulia or Bryce Young could come in and play the same or better than Mac's played. So no, next season is not lost if Mac leaves and Tua gets hurt..

 

[DogPatch]

Without someone to get them ball and make the big throw those WR’s are paper weights. Jones may be the guy, but I’m not convinced.

True, but he has shown the ability to spread the ball around, in games, which comforts me with him @ QB.

 

[B1GTide]

Sorry, there's no way you can say that at this point in time. For all we know Mac could regress next year or if he does leave, Taulia or Bryce Young could come in and play the same or better than Mac's played. So no, next season is not lost if Mac leaves and Tua gets hurt..

You are correct - it is unknowable. It is just my opinion.

I will support whoever plays the position next year.

 

[BamaMoon]

Whoa... no one, literally no one, has ever said Jones is better than Tua. Or that we would be better with Jones than Tua.

In my haste, I "overstated" B1G's angle (apologies B1G for "putting words in your mouth"), but what I should have said is B1G seems to think the team would be better off with Jones than Tua. That's where we disagree, but I see his point and think it's based on the fear of Tua getting hurt again...see his comment below.

My concern with Tua is around a singular thing - will he be there in December/January? If he is not and Mac is gone, 2020 is a wasted season. But if you can keep them both, 2020 is Alabama's to lose.

 

[B1GTide]

In my haste, I "overstated" B1G's angle (apologies B1G for "putting words in your mouth"), but what I should have said is B1G seems to think the team would be better off with Jones than Tua. That's where we disagree, but I see his point and think it's based on the fear of Tua getting hurt again...see his comment below.

Yep - A healthy Tua is the best QB that I have ever seen play the game.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Explain what you mean? He's got to declare for the draft by no later than Jan. 21, right? How can he even know how well he'll improve before he'll be able to throw for teams before the draft. If he declares, it's a done deal, right? That's the rub. If he's not healing as fast and he declares and then his stock plummets because he's not healing as fast, he has no recourse.

I honestly think he's got more control over his draft status to stay and play another year. Yes, there is risk for another injury, but I think he has more control over that at Bama than year one in the NFL for a lottery pick team.

I agree. Even though I think he's leaving for the NFL. I think you're right. He has more control over where he gets drafted by staying another year at Bama.

 

[BamaMoon]

We keep talking about the "odds" of Tua getting injured again, but outside of his hip injury, he's had very minor and normal football injuries.

The fact he's basically had normal injuries (and a little bad luck with two ankle injuries in back to back years) has cause us, collectively, to fear what might happen to him again.

But, as we've seen, anybody can get injured and that would include MJ too.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Sorry, the officials were the difference in that game.

As for Mac - you cannot "scheme" a QB who plays well from the pocket if he is also coached well. You guys worry about defensive schemes because of what happened to Tua. Well, that happened because you were running a gimmick offense and you did not have a real QB coach. You are not running that kind of offense anymore.

One more point that needs to be brought up - Mac is smarter than Tua. Not disrespecting Tua's talent, but everyone in Alabama's program talks about how smart Mac is, and they always have. So, Mac does not have Tua's ability, but he is very well coached and he is very smart - and he also has above average arm talent.

You will take a step backward with Mac, but not as large a step as many of you fear, and certainly not the kind of step that should have you worrying about defensive "schemes" being his downfall.

Gotta agree!

The officiating in that game robbed tOSU from playing in the BCSCG...

 

[rgw]

I watched UM all season - they would have the best defense in the SEC in 2019. Their defense is better than GA's. Sometimes you have to understand that the other team has something to do with your failures, just as they do your successes.

Add the fact that you had very few possessions because your defense could not get UM off the field and you were not going to score many points.

I don’t know if I agree with the assessment that they’d be better than Georgia but they would indeed be among the best units in the SEC in 2019. Florida has a bit more athletic ability in their blitzing scheme but Michigan seems a bit more consistent (less busts for big plays). They’re somewhere below Georgia but either right above or below Florida. Just my opinion and I’ve watched less of them than you admittedly.

It is hard to judge them by the OSU and Alabama games. I don’t think there is a defense in the nation that can truly stop Alabama. You need a confluence of offensive production and timely defense to lower our points output. The only reason we didn’t see Alabama score in the 40s again was because Michigan ran for 150+ yards in the first half thus bleeding the clock.

 

[tideindc]

I don't know if I have ever felt worse watching a football game , as when Tua left the MIss. State game on the cart. For days after, I was genuinely depressed, that such an amazing talent and human being , could possibly be done playing at such an early age. Luckily it seems he will be fine by next year. Injuries are freak plays generally, but the fact is that in two years as a starter, Tua has had surgery on both ankles, his knee ( a rumored scope?) and of course the hip. Let's be honest..most of us hold our breath every time he takes a hit.

Tua should go to the NFL, even if a #25 pick, ( certainly the lowest he'd go) where he can regain full health and possibly sit behind a qb for a year before playing for a good team with a good line. Last year's #25 pick was paid a $6.6M signing bonus...why not get paid handsomely while rebbbing and regaining full health?

I worry if he returns he could get hurt again and really injure his draft stock and fall into the later rounds where the money is nowhere near as lucrative as he deserves.

Weird..he's the most exciting qb talent I've ever seen at Bama ( I go back 53 yrs and Joe Willie and Snake are just vague, childhood memories)..but I actually will be a bit disappointed if he decides to stay.

That said..once the season starts..I'd be damn pumped!!

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

I get the worry about Tua and injuries. But I'll take seeing him play in Crimson for one more season over almost anything. Even a title 🤷‍♂️(I may get killed for this). I just really enjoy watching him play and its the first time (in my life time) a team I've supported has had a legitimate superstar QB.

That said, I still think our best shot at a title next year is a fully healthy Tua and the only chance of that happening is Tua coming back. We have zero shot at a healthy Tua if he goes pro

All of THAT said, I would still go Pro if I was Tua. And he probably should.

 

[tideinark]

I agree. Even though I think he's leaving for the NFL. I think you're right. He has more control over where he gets drafted by staying another year at Bama.

I don't think that is necessarily true. Because of the what IFs that always exist with injuries. Right now his ceiling is #3 and floor is probably #15. Herbert might have been #1 last year. He could be anywhere from #5-15 this year. Tua will have Lawrence to compete with next year. All signs point, at the current moment that I've read, to a positive recovery for Tua.

For the record I would love to see him back next year. I don't think you could honestly find one fan who wouldn't say that. He is one best QBs I've ever seen play at this level.

 

[B1GTide]

I get the worry about Tua and injuries. But I'll take seeing him play in Crimson for one more season over almost anything. Even a title 🤷‍♂️(I may get killed for this). I just really enjoy watching him play and its the first time (in my life time) a team I've supported has had a legitimate superstar QB.

That said, I still think our best shot at a title next year is a fully healthy Tua and the only chance of that happening is Tua coming back. We have zero shot at a healthy Tua if he goes pro

All of THAT said, I would still go Pro if I was Tua. And he probably should.

Good point!

 

[rgw]

In fact, of the big passes Mac Jones hit against Michigan I would only qualify the Forristall TD as a bust. Two guys ran off with Najee on the wheel route and a third underneath linebacker creeped out wide when he saw Najee release into the wheel. Juedy was just too fast for man defense when crossing the field. Devonta Smith made a great catch off a good throw in tight man coverage. It isn’t a true bust when the players simply beat your scheme.

 

[TideEngineer08]

For all my snark, Michigan seems like a really good team on the fundamentals, but is still lacking in overall athleticism to beat the elites. There is also something missing (always has been?) with Harbaugh and in-game adjustments.

 

[B1GTide]

For all my snark, Michigan seems like a really good team on the fundamentals, but is still lacking in overall athleticism to beat the elites. There is also something missing (always has been?) with Harbaugh and in-game adjustments.

There is just something about Harbaugh that is off. He alienates anyone who spends any amount of time with him - even his own family members. I was happy when UM hired him, hoping that his oddity would outweigh his coaching ability.

 

[GP for Bama]

I believe Saban said ( or implied) that Tua had a top 15 NFL draft grade. Tua had already said that if he thought he would go in the top half of the first round then he would probably go. So... I think he declares for the draft. He will do great in the NFL.

 

[12Namath12]

Declares for NFL