Several Alabama alums were at Miami Gardens for a joint practice between the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles.
The main storyline, however, was Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Both quarterbacks played together at Alabama, helped the Crimson Tide to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2017, and got selected in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Tagovailoa and Hurts have a lot to prove to their critics in the fall.
According to beat reporters for both teams, Tagovailoa got the better of Hurts and the Eagles’ defense throughout practice. No stats were given out, but Tagovailoa threw more confidently into tight windows. He and Tyreek Hill had four to five connections of 10+ yards, including a 30-yard touchdown hookup. Jaylen Waddle did not practice, but it did not bother the native Hawaiian.
Tagovailoa had a rhythm with Hill, Cedric Wilson, and others. He constantly torched Philadelphia’s defensive secondary and consistently moved Miami’s offense downfield. After practice, he explained what has made this team different in the offseason.
“The confidence the guys have coming into the building is different,” Tagovailoa said. “The way we do things around the building is different. I can’t point to one thing, and I think that is going to help make us a better team. We have to spend time with each other, not just in the building but outside the building. We will see where this thing goes for us.”
Tagovailoa said Coach Mike McDaniel is the ‘most optimistic’ guy he has ever been around. Hurts, on the other hand, had a tough day getting protection from his offensive line. He completed 22 of 27 passes, but most were check-downs because of the pressure.
He did not have a bad performance, but the team overall could not move the ball consistently against Miami.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
