Alabama Athletics
Tua Tagovailoa Remains on Target to Start For Alabama Against LSU
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It's the secret that hasn't been a secret at all in the University of Alabama football building.
Junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa again led his position group through individual drills during practice Tuesday afternoon. Barring any setbacks, he's still on pace to start against LSU.
That's been the plan all along.
“I see him throwing the ball," senior cornerback Trevon Diggs said. "He’s all right.”
Nick Saban has continually downplayed the expectation that Tagovailoa would definitely start at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday (2:30 p.m., CBS), in part because surgery rehab is never automatic or a given. Officially, he's described as being "day to day."
Meanwhile, everything around the team has had the appearance of business as normal this week.
Not even the news that President Donald Trump plans to be at the potential No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown has been much of a distraction. The Crimson Tide played before him two years ago in the National Championship Game in Atlanta.
"I'm worried about the game, focused on the game and control what I can control," redshirt senior linebacker Anfernee Jennings said.
Tuesday was the first full practice for Tagovailoa following his procedure on Oct. 20. Monday's team workouts are usually more of walk-though, and coaches were careful with the quarterback during two bye-week practices last week.
Alabama was in full pads Tuesday. Condition were 70 degrees and sunny. The forecast for Saturday is sunny and 58 degrees.
Tagovailoa is still not 100 percent, and looked a little sore Tuesday, but led the quarterbacks through individual drills when reporters were allowed to observe.
On Monday, Saban called freshman kicker/punter Will Reichard (hip) the only player considered questionable for the Tigers.
Junior running Najee Harris (ankle), junior wide receiver DeVonta Smith (shoulder), freshmen left guard Evan Neal (groin) and redshirt junior center Landon Dickerson (hamstring) have all practiced this week.
Sophomore linebacker Ale Kaho (fractured hand) has been wearing a cast.
Teammates say they haven't seen any change in Tagovailoa's approach or attitude since suffering the injury late in the second quarter against Tennessee. He subsequently missed the Arkansas game, which was started by redshirt sophomore Mac Jones.
"He’s always been super positive, so even with his injury he was still positive," junior right tackle Jaylen Wills Jr. said. "He goes in there, gets his rehab, his treatment, his work in, comes out to practice no matter if he’s participating or not. Just like in the game last week, week before last, he comes out with that same energy, that positive standpoint to keep everybody uplifted.
"It does a lot because he's a leader on the team, so people look up to him. Players look to him, coaches kind of turn to see where he’s at and what he’s going to say before a drive to get the thing going. No matter if he was in or out, he still has the same outlook on what’s going to happen."
Even without Tagovailoa, Alabama still blew away Arkansas on Oct. 26, 48-7. Many of the issues that plagued the offense led by Jones against Tennessee, including some dropped passes, had vanished.
The offensive line also didn't appear to have any problems adjusting to a right-handed Jones, compared to the left-handed Tagovailoa. Wills went so far as to say the notion of having someone different blocking the blind side was overblown.
"You don’t miss a heartbeat," he said. "When he went out in the Tennessee game, I didn't know Mac Jones was in until a drive later. They go out there and do the same exact thing.
"If you miss a block on any pass play, no matter which side of the quarterback is back there getting hit, it’s a problem."
For the season, Tagovailoa is 145-for-194 (74.7 percent) for 2,166 yards, with 27 touchdowns and two interceptions. His 212.4 passer-efficiency rating is second in the nation behind former teammate Jalen Hurts (224.3).
Saban indicated on Monday that Tagovailoa would split time behind center and get more reps throughout the week as he continued to progress.
Either way, the game plan started to be installed last Thursday.
"Regardless of who’s at quarterback, we’ve got to make our plays,” Ruggs said.
