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Tagovailoa clarifies earlier statements regarding transferring

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Photo | Getty Images
Photo | Getty Images
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Days after making headlines for claiming he would have transferred from Alabama if he didn’t play in the national championship game, Tua Tagovailoa made sure to clarify his statement. During a sit-down interview with CBS 42 on Saturday in his hometown of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the sophomore quarterback said he his words were taken out of context.

“What I meant was when you feel like you kind of want to quit or if you want to give in, I think the more you kind of put your head in the ground, in the dirt and you keep working and pushing, trying to push through it, I think that’s when you start to see the better of the end result,” Tagovailoa explained. “I kind of got the wrong end when I saw it on ESPN. I think they most definitely took it out of context saying if I didn’t play I would’ve left and whatnot. And I think sometimes if you don’t stick it in, like what I said, if you don’t stick it in, if you just keep giving up, you won’t see the end result and what God has prepared, which is the blessing. I don’t think I would’ve experienced it if I left.

“I was talking about Fourth Quarter [workout program] more so. When we’re doing the first day of Fourth Quarter, I wanted to leave. I called my dad, I called back home and I told him I wanted to go to USC. … After our running, I come back to the dorm that night after tutoring and I call my dad and I tell him, ‘Dad, we’ve got to go. I can’t do this.’ I mean if I just didn’t stick it in through that whole time during Fourth Quarter, during spring ball, during camp and then during the season, I don’t think me and you would’ve been here talking right now.”

That message is somewhat different than what Tagovailoa said Thursday, according to a report from HawaiiNewsNow.com.

“I told myself if I didn't play in the last game, which was the national championship game, I would transfer out,” Tagovailoa said, according to the report. “If I gave in, I don't think I would have seen the end blessing of where I am now.”

Saturday, Tagovailoa explained his comments.

“I think if you’re a collegiate athlete, you’re most definitely competitive,” he said. “I mean you’re going to feel like you want to play, and if your opportunity is not given, sometimes you make emotional decisions."

Tagovailoa was back home in Ewa Beach this weekend for a celebration of his performance during the national championship game against Georgia in January. Replacing starter Jalen Hurts to start the second half, Tagovailoa rallied Alabama back from down 13 points, completing 14 of 24 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to receiver DeVonta Smith in overtime to cap off a 26-23 victory.

Tagovailoa was limited this spring after breaking a bone in his hand but is expected to compete with Hurts for the starting quarterback position this fall.

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