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Tebow addresses additional issues Tagovailoa might face with injured ankle

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The question du jour across college football the past two weeks has been whether or not Tua Tagovailoa and his injured right ankle will be good to go when No. 3 Alabama takes on No. 2 LSU on Saturday.

The starting quarterback suffered a high-ankle sprain against Tennessee on Oct. 19 and underwent a tightrope surgery the following day. Less than three weeks later, all signs point to Tagovailoa taking the field Saturday as Alabama head coach Nick Saban told ESPN earlier this week that there is a “good chance” the junior will play against LSU.

Although, if he can play and how he will play are two different questions. Friday, ESPN analyst and former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow described just how difficult coming back from a high-ankle sprain can be.

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“I’ve done it. It’s not fun, it’s not easy,” Tebow said. "I think he knows what it’s like from last year, and these doctors and trainers are really good and they're getting him as good as he could (be). I’m sure he will have some stuff to help him with the pain, but then it’s all about tomorrow afternoon.

“I think there’s a certain place as athletes you just go where it’s just, you have to go into a place mentally where you know how important this game is to your team, to the season, to the championship, to your legacy, everything. And he’ll be more worried about this game than he will the pain tomorrow afternoon.”

Tagovailoa underwent the same tightrope procedure on his left ankle following last year’s SEC Championship Game against Georgia and was able to return 27 days later in time to play in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma. While this year’s injury is on the left-hander’s non plant foot, Tebow said it can still present plenty of challenges for Tagovailoa.

“A lot of their RPOs, it’s not just the back’s on the left side, it’s on the right side, too,” said Tebow, who also throws left handed. “So if I’m doing a zone read on my right I have to do a jump step fast, and that means I have to plant off my right and then be able to pivot off it as well when I land. So, I would say one thing is you’re going to look to see the back more on the left so it’s easier. I open and ride and then just rocker back, and then I can throw.

“So I would say that would be something to look for in the game. If he’s not as healthy as some people would think, the back will be more on his left which would make it easier for a zone fake on his right ankle. But it’s still, it’s difficult, man. Anytime you have a high ankle, it’s just, it is not fun. Man, it is painful.”

Saban provided another update on Tagovailoa on Friday, stating the quarterback "practiced really well this week."

“I think he’s got short-area quickness and can play well in the pocket,” he told told CBS Sports. “It hasn’t affected his throwing at all, so we’re going to make a game-time decision. I’m going to talk to him today. I think he’s comfortable and confident with what he’s been able to do, so we’ll just see how it goes.”

While Tagovailoa might be comfortable in practice, Tebow pointed out that Saturday’s game will put far more strain on his injured ankle. If that’s the case, the junior will have to adjust accordingly as his mobility will be limited.

“The problem is he might not feel like it limits him until he gets into the game,” Tebow said. “But all of a sudden, a few plays in oh gosh. You know? And now, ‘Wow, now I can’t take those steps. Now I’m worried about stepping up. Now I’m changing a little bit of the way I play so my timing and my rhythm is off because I realize in the first couple of plays I’m not the same guy that I was, so I have to adapt.’

“Sometimes guys can do it and have success, other times it can be very difficult because if I’m used to being able to really step up in the pocket and being able to throw on the run like Tua does all the time from a lot of different arm angles, now he can’t do it at the same comfort. How does he adapt? And I think that’s such a big key for him mentally being able to handle that.”

Tebow and the rest of the nation will get their answer Saturday as Tagovailoa and Alabama (8-0, 5-0 in the SEC) take on LSU (8-0, 4-0) at 2:30 p.m. CT inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium.

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Andrew Bone, of BamaInsider.com, is a real estate broker in the state of Alabama. 

Contact Andrew Bone for all of your real estate needs; buyers, sellers, investors, developers. Property management; BoneHomeTours.com Call 205-531-5577 or click here


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