Alabama football coach Nick Saban sounds like he’s doing everything he can to light a fire under quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tua and the Crimson Tide got destroyed by Clemson in the national title game, and the dual-threat lefty gunslinger struggled with some health issues throughout the season. In the SEC title game, he had to be replaced by Jalen Hurts due to his ankle. (RELATED: Tua Tagovailoa Says He Hasn’t ‘Had Any Talks’ About Going To The NFL)
Now, the six-time national championship winning coach wants people know he’s pushing Tua to believe he still has a lot to prove.
Saban said the following Tuesday on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on ESPN when discussing his star quarterback:
I think that he has to challenge himself to get back into great shape and overcome some of the things that happened toward the end of the year. And I think he should take the perception that he has a lot to prove relative to how we ended the season. I think the whole team fits into that category.
This is classic Saban, and it’s one of the reasons he’s such a great coach. Tua is widely considered the best player in the 2020 draft class, and the Alabama legend is out here trying to convince people he still has a ton to prove.
Was what happened embarrassing last year for the Crimson Tide? Absolutely. Getting blown out in the championship in front of the country is embarrassing as all hell, but it’s hardly all Tua’s fault.
The whole team played like trash, which is probably why Saban threw in that last sentence above.
I don’t know how the Crimson Tide coach manages to do it, but he always seems to have his guys convinced they’re the underdog. The team is loaded with NFL talent. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the country and he’s still not satisfied.
That’s what a championship mentality is all about.
The 2019 season should be a great one as we find out if Alabama can avenge the disaster ending of last year. If there’s one thing we know about college football, it’s that you should never bet against a guy like Saban.