Nick Saban Offers Final Update on Tua Tagovailoa

The Crimson Tide head coach gave one last status update heading into Alabama’s matchup against No. 2 LSU

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama head coach Nick Saban offered his last injury update on junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa before the No. 3 Crimson Tide’s Saturday matchup against the No. 2 LSU Tigers.

“I know you’re going to ask me about Tua,” Saban said to the media Wednesday. “Tua’s worked hard to try to get back where he has an opportunity to play. He’s been able to practice some. We still don’t know what his status for the game is gonna be. We’ll make it, you know, when the game comes.”

Tagovailoa suffered a high ankle sprain in the second quarter against Tennessee on Oct. 21. He proceeded to have surgery the next day, and began taking reps in practice last week.

As of Wednesday, Saban reiterated that his decision on Tagovailoa will be at the time of the game.

“We don’t know what kind of setbacks he’s gonna have and how he’s going to continue to progress,” Saban said. “There’s nothing else I can really say about it.”

Saban also discussed Tagovailoa’s approach and attitude during his rehabilitation and return to practice.

“His attitude has been great,” Saban said. “His work ethic has been great. I think he has a real positive attitude about what he’s doing because he’s actually had this same injury before, and I think when you get injured you’re very apprehensive about, you know, how to go about coming back from it. But when you’ve had it before, I think you have a lot more positive feeling about how you can come back from it, so all those things have been very positive for him.”

Mobility is certainly a factor in Tagovailoa’s recovery. With the run game being such a strong aspect of his form, it is important that Tagovailoa be able to run at full strength and dexterity in order to avoid not only a lackluster performance, but also to avoid re-injuring his ankle.

“We’re not going to play the guy if he can’t move,” Saban said.