Since 2014, the Alabama football program has consistently won at least 11 games every season and won the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy three times. Alabama was led by legendary head coach Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide was loaded with star players on both offense and defense. Though he has never won a Heisman Trophy, left-handed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is arguably the best Crimson Tide football player to don the crimson, gray and white uniform in the past decade.
Tagovailoa was the program's multiple season stat holder and was an All-American selection, National Championship winner, SEC First Team honoree and Maxwell Award winner during his time with the Crimson Tide, but according to former NFL safety and current SEC Network personality Roman Harper, Tagovailoa hasn't been first or second in the SEC since 2014, but rather third.
Former Alabama football QB Tua Tagovailoa: Scorned by longtime program star
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (5) throws the ball next to his brother, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13), before the start of a game against the Duke Blue Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer – USA TODAY Sports
Roman Harper, a four-year veteran of Alabama's football program from 2002-05, came to work for the SEC Network after a stellar 11-year NFL career. But Harper is not biased towards his alma mater, having been named All-SEC twice. On Thursday, Harper released his top 10 SEC quarterbacks since 2014, with Alabama playmaker Tua Tagovailoa coming in at No. 3. Instead, two players from the Crimson Tide's notorious rivals, the LSU Tigers, were ranked higher than Tagovailoa.
Top 10 SEC QBs of the last decade Harp 41 from SEC Network
Who was too high? Who was too low? And who was completely overlooked? pic.twitter.com/4HPHtrWriW
— 104.5 ESPN (@1045espn) August 8, 2024
Tagovailoa holds the Alabama Crimson Tide record for career passing touchdowns with 87. He also ranks in the top five in team history for career passing yards (7,442), passing yards in a season (3.966) and passing touchdowns in a season (43). He also led Alabama football to two College Football Playoff finals, winning one of them. Previously, Harper chose Louisiana State's Jayden Daniels over Tagovailoa. Daniels has won the Heisman Trophy, but statistically he is nowhere near Tagovailoa. Meanwhile, Louisiana State has never made it to the CFP with Daniels under center. Harper's list also includes two other Alabama quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and Bryce Young, who are in the top 10 SEC passers since 2014.
Tua Tagovailoa: Elite college career
T. Tagovailoa #13 and Rashaan Evans #32 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on January 8, 2018. Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 to win the national title. Jamie Schwabelow/Getty Images
Tua Tagovailoa, the top dual-threat quarterback in the 2017 class, committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide over USC, Oregon, LSU, Ole Miss and UCLA. After spending most of his rookie season as a reserve, head coach Nick Saban deployed Tagovailoa in the CFP Championship Game after fellow passer Jalen Hurts was a disastrous first half. Tagovailoa ignited Alabama's football attack, going 14-of-24 for 165 yards and three touchdowns against one interception. Tagovailoa scored a walk-off touchdown in overtime with a pass along the sideline to future Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
Tagovailoa replaced Hurts the following season and threw a then-team record 43 touchdown passes. He completed 69% of his passes, rushed for five touchdowns, and finished second in Heisman voting to Oklahoma's Kyler Murray. Tagovailoa won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year award, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Award. However, after sweeping Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP, Alabama and Tagovailoa lost to Clemson in the finals. Tagovailoa returned in 2019, but a hip injury ended his season early. He started eight games and finished the year with 2,840 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
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