Will Jalen Hurts be able to fend off Tua Tagovailoa?
This is the question that will travel from spring practice to the 2017 season. Despite earning SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Hurts’ ability in the passing game left much to be desired late in the 2016 season. He did, however, set Alabama’s single-season touchdown record with 36 while guiding the program to a Southeastern Conference championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff title game.
As for Tagovailoa, he enters Tuscaloosa as a five-star prospect and the most decorative high school quarterback in Hawaii history. During his tenure, he tossed for over 8,000 yards while earning comparisons to NFL quarterback Marcus Mariota and ex-Hawaii standouts Timmy Chang and Colt Brennan.
He intends to push Hurts for the starting job next fall.
Yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine was on “The Way It Is,” breaking down the quarterback race for the Tide entering spring practice. Check out the audio via Bama Sports Radio.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
