Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has 'Successful' Surgery on Hip
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had surgery on his hip Monday morning.
Per the school and a release from the surgeon, all early indications are that the procedure went well. Both stressed that he's expected to make a "full recovery."
Tagovailoa was transported from Birmingham to Houston overnight to be further evaluated and undergo the surgery for a right hip dislocation. Alabama issued a statement from the team orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lyle Cain:
“Tua underwent successful surgery on his right hip Monday morning in Houston. The procedure went as planned, and he is resting comfortably. Tua’s prognosis is excellent, and we expect him to make a full recovery. He will return to Tuscaloosa in the next several days to begin his rehab.”
ESPN reported that it confirmed Tagovailoa also suffered a posterior wall fracture. It quoted Cain as saying he'll be on a partial weight-bearing recovery plan for six weeks and will be rehabbing daily in Tuscaloosa.
Tagovailoa should be able to begin athletic activity again in three months, and be ready to start throwing again in the spring.
Nick Saban didn't wait to field any questions to comment on Tagovailoa's situation during his regular Monday press conference.
"We lost a great leader, a great player on our team and we’re all hurting because of it," he said. "Just like any time you lose somebody in your family, for whatever reasons, everybody in the family is hurting. And this is all about people and this is all about the person. We’re pleased that the surgery went successfully today and they expect him to have a full recovery.
"I’ve talked to Tua. I feel bad. I’m hurting. So I called him on Saturday night to cheer him up and he cheered me up. I called him last night because I’d been sitting in that room for 10 hours yesterday watching film. I called him to cheer him up and he cheers me up. This is a guy that has great spirit."
Saban compared the injury to what C.J. Mosley endured during the 2011 national championship game, a 21-0 victory over LSU. The linebacker was ready to go for the 2012 season and helped Alabama win another title.
The coach added that Tagovailoa is facing a long recovery, but the quarterback intends to be at No. 5 Alabama's game on Saturday against Western Carolina (11 a.m., ESPN). Not only will it be Senior Day, but his younger brother Taulia will be the backup to redshirt sophomore Mac Jones.
When asked about Tagovailoa's playing future, Saban indicated that it's too soon to tell, and that hasn't even been brought up.
"Our only concern is his health, his well-being and him making a full recovery," Saban said.
"No one’s really speculating or talking about what’s best for him to do in the future. ... I don’t know if right nows the time to be thinking about that, when you’re thinking about the guy’s health and well-being and recovery."
Tagovailoa suffered a right hip dislocation during the second quarter against Mississippi State on Saturday. At first, no one had any idea the quarterback's season was over.
"I don’t think he knew what was really going on, but I knew he was in pain," said junior tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., who was the first teammate to check on Tagovailoa.
Trainers tried to help him off the field, but as soon as he attempted to put weight on his right leg they called for a cart.
"The first thing they said on the field was he had a bloody nose," Saban said. "And then for about 30-40 seconds he didn’t get up and I’m saying, must be a really bad bloody nose. Then I over the head-set sort of inquired and they said, ‘Well, his hip is hurt.’ So I walked out on the field, and they told me that his hip was hurt.
"Of course, they didn’t know the severity of the injury. They thought that he dislocated his hip but they didn’t know for sure. So they took him in and then they told me at halftime that he did dislocate his hip. But they did not know the severity until they did further testing."
Tagovailoa was 14-for-18 for 256 yards with two touchdowns. Alabama was ahead 35-7 at the time. The Crimson Tide eventually won 38-7.
Tagovailoa finished his junior year with 2,840 passing yards and 33 touchdowns with a 71.4 completion percentage and a passer rating of 206.93.
Tagovailoa also had surgery on Oct. 20 to help his right high-ankle sprain suffered against Tennessee heal, the same procedure Tagovailoa underwent on his other ankle last December.
Tagovailoa came back 20 days later and threw for 418 yards and four touchdowns, with two turnovers, against LSU. He was considered a game-time decision for Mississippi State, but ended up starting.
Saban said he hasn't second-guessed the decision.
"No, not at all," he said. "It’s an SEC game.
"What if we wouldn’t have played him and not won the game? I mean, how can you assume that you would win a game by not playing your best players? I’ve never, ever done that and don’t intend to do it in the future, because that’s the only way you can be fair to players and that’s the only way that you can be fair to the team. And Tua absolutely wanted to play in the game, did everything he could to play in the game, to get ready to play in the game, and he’s our No. 1 quarterback. I mean, if Aaron Rodgers was able to play in the game, would they not play him in the game? I don’t really know. I don’t know how else to do it.”
