Alabama heads into enemy territory for the first time this season at it opens up SEC play at South Carolina on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The Crimson Tide heads into the matchup as 25.5-point favorites, according to VegasInsider.com. Here are five questions to consider heading into the matchup.
1. Is Tua working too hard?
Tua Tagovailoa’s work ethic has brought him to where he is today. But is the starting quarterback at risk of burning himself out this early in the season?
Hours after Alabama’s season-opening win against Duke, Tagovailoa was back on the grind with a quick workout session inside the Crimson Tide’s athletic facility. He then lifted weights with his teammates the following Monday which led to a bit of fatigue in his throwing shoulder the following day during practice.
Noticing a difference in his starting quarterback, Nick Saban questioned Tagovailoa who then revealed his workout schedule to his head coach.
“Coach Saban told me that's not the way to go about things, this is how we should go about things,” Tagovailoa said. “It’ll only lead to, you know, something not good. That's why we have this set up the way it is.”
Tagovailoa said he’s taken his coach’s words into consideration, but that didn’t stop him from putting in a bit of work following last week’s game against New Mexico State.
“I did work out after the New Mexico State game, but I didn't do too much, probably more cardio,” he said. “Worked out yesterday, Sunday, and we have a lift after this.”
