TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The secret to Tua Tagovailoa’s escapability is safe. The Alabama quarterback can’t explain what allows him to acrobatically slip and spin away from defenders in the pocket. However, he did just fine maneuvering through questions Tuesday during his first media availability this season.
“I don’t know. Sometimes I drop back, and sometimes I just practice backflipping and throwing,” Tagovailoa said, drawing a big laugh from the crowd of reporters surrounding him. “I’m kidding. I really couldn’t tell you. I don’t know.”
Tuesday was the first time Tagovailoa spoke to reporters since the start of fall camp. So much has changed since then. Not only has Tagovailoa overtaken Jalen Hurts as Alabama’s starter, but he’s also become the face of the No. 1 team in the nation.
Five games into the season, the Hawaiian native’s fame has reached all-time highs, complete with plastic leis, which are now sold outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Pineapple hasn’t replaced pulled pork in Tuscaloosa, but it’s now become a staple inside tailgate tents on The Quad during game days.
“I think it's cool,” Tagovailoa. “There's nothing wrong with it.”
Of course, Tagovailoa has made his biggest mark on the field where he’s led an Alabama offense that leads the nation averaging 54.2 points per game. The sophomore quarterback has completed 75 percent of his passes for 1,161 yards and 14 touchdowns with no interceptions. He also leads the nation with a 238.32 quarterback rating and is performing at a consistency that head coach Nick Saban admitted “probably exceeded” his early expectations.
“He has played extremely well in every game,” Saban said Monday. “He's right on target most of the time, not only in where he delivers the ball but who he delivers it to and why he should do it that way. I think our coaches have done a really good job of helping him be able to understand exactly what the expectation is. He would be the first to tell you that all the players on offense — the protection has been pretty good for him and the receivers have done a good job of getting open.”
