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Alex Scarborough, ESPN staff writer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama quarterback Jalen gets hurt‘ expression never changed throughout the course of a disappointing final Saturday of spring when he completed 19 of 37 passes for 195 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Houston’s junior was as straight-faced as ever, even as a third-string quarterback Mc Jones He was overtaken, winning co-valuable player, while Hart’s Jerry Duncan settled for a share of the “I Like to Practice” award.
After more than a dozen awards were handed out, Harts knelt and didn’t say a word. He wasn’t particularly outgoing, but it felt different. During his 2016 rise, as he came from nowhere to take over the starting job as a true freshman and win SEC Offensive Player of the Year, his silence was taken for granted. As a sophomore, when he accounted for 25 touchdowns while throwing just one interception, it was that same stone-cold determination.
Now, after being benched in the second half of the national championship game and watching his former backup, Tua TagovailoaBecoming an overnight sensation, Hearts’ body language came across differently. His confidence was questioned by the media and fans.
On Saturday, it seemed as if Hearts had come full circle. When no one thought of him as a freshman, he used the A-Day scrimmage to catch everyone’s attention by completing 11 of 15 passes, including the game-winning touchdown with less than three minutes left. Almost overnight, he became one of college football’s most promising young QBs.
But two years and two trips to the national championship later, he found himself up against another young, promising quarterback, Tagovailoa. Two days before A-Day, Hurts had to read how his father told Bleacher Report that he would transfer if his son didn’t win back the starting job. And with Tagovailoa sidelined by injury and a chance to advance in the contest in front of him, Hearts struggled to find the end zone.
Give him credit. Hurts never faltered, even as the criticism leveled at him increased. During the game, he didn’t taunt the receivers, even though they cost him at least three receptions. Nor did he tear up his offensive line, which allowed him to be sacked seven times, not to mention all the unscripted pressure. The pain remained constant through it all.
Head coach Nick Saban tried to bring that topic to the table after the scrimmage.
“There was a lot of pressure on the quarterback’s pocket to be able to do what we wanted,” he said.
Saban said he wasn’t disappointed in Hearts’ performance — not that it would do much good when the last impression we had on Hearts was that he threw a late one-dayer between now and the season opener.
Never mind Hurts’ entire body of work, with a 26-2 record, 40 passing touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. Never mind that he also rushed for 1,808 yards and 21 touchdowns. Everything changed when Saban benched him during the national championship game and Tagovailo threw the winning touchdown in overtime.
It turned into a two-year battle of one half vs. evidence. And, according to senior running backs Damien HarrisWhat it’s worth “depends on who you ask.”
“You’d have to ask Coach Saban,” Harris said. “Obviously, Jalen has a great body, and he’s done a lot of great things here. Tua obviously had a great second half in the national championship game, and so everybody knows he’s a great player, too. But honestly, all that stuff is in the past, and all that stuff really As we move forward and regardless of how both guys have done in the past, I don’t think a decision should be made as to which one of them is the better player, the coach will take the field.”
When that decision will be made is anyone’s guess.
Someone has to make a choice, be it Soap, Hearts or Tagovailoa. It would be in Saban’s best interest to let the competition go through the first few games of the season, but that’s starting to look less likely as the possibility of a transfer becomes a more realistic option for whoever ends up as the backup.
Hold on tight because even though spring is over, the competition is on. Injuries may have been nagging during A-Day, but there’s a reason Tagovailoa bounced back after breaking his finger on the first day of practice. After all, why play through the pain and risk further injury unless you feel you have to?
Tagovailoa may have more upside as a passer, more potential to unlock the entire offense. But he is still unknown. He’s still only played one meaningful half of college football, and even that includes a near-interception and a nearly devastating sack in overtime.
Hearts may feel bad on A-Day, but it’s important to remember that Tagovailoa didn’t even play. As coaches like to point out, availability means something. If anything, his absence means the competition can’t move forward, and that doesn’t bode well for the quarterback.
At this point, handicap the race at your own peril. Saturday was rough for Hearts, but it wasn’t the end-all.
As Harris explains, what didn’t happen before means a lot now. Tagovailoa may be the next great Alabama quarterback, and Hurts may not be ready to hand over the reins just yet.
Only one thing is certain: the clock is ticking for both.
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