Tua Tagovailoa is a cautionary tale.
By now, you know what happened. Last Saturday, after returning from an ankle injury the week before, Alabama’s junior quarterback and reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year started for the Crimson Tide on the road against 4-5 Mississippi State. Granted, the 9-1 Tide likely could have coasted even without their standout signal caller. But he played anyway.
The plan, most assumed, was to play him — then protect him.
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“We’re going to see Tua as long as this game is tight, but I really think Nick Saban wants to bring in (backup quarterback) Mac Jones if they can get a significant lead,” ESPN analyst Todd McShay said on Alabama’s opening drive.