Hawaiian punch: Tua possesses skills few have at ’Bama

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) scrambles for a first down against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas has faced a series of national championship winning quarterbacks at Alabama over the past decade.

The list features Greg McElroy in 2009, AJ McCarron in 2011 and 2012 and Jake Coker in 2014. None of them appear to be in the same league as the left-handed Hawaiian who will lead the No. 1 Crimson Tide into Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday morning.

Sophomore Tua Tagovailoa, the second half star of last year's College Football Playoff championship game, ranks in the top level of Heisman Trophy candidates. He has completed 75 percent of his passes, has thrown 14 touchdowns and no interceptions, and has yet to throw a pass in the fourth quarter this season.

The dual-threat nature of Tagovailoa's game -- he leads the FBS with a 238.3 pass efficiency rating and has rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns -- and his uncanny accuracy gives Alabama an edge at quarterback that it hasn't enjoyed while on its run of championships.

"He's the real deal," Arkansas cornerback Ryan Pulley said. "He can makes plays with his feet and also make good plays with his arm. He's accurate. He can do it all."

Arkansas defensive coordinator John Chavis said Tagovailoa's ability to beat a defense in multiple ways sets him apart.

"That's where it's changed throughout the years," Chavis said. "Seven, eight, maybe 10 years ago, they were a run, play-action, drop-back team. Now they do it all and they've got a guy that touches the ball every time that is really, really good and well coached."

Alabama (5-0, 2-0 SEC) has trounced every opponent on its schedule, with its standard standout defense now supplemented, and perhaps even eclipsed, by a unit that leads the nation with 54.2 points per game and ranks fifth in total offense (553.2 yards per game).

"He's been very, very efficient and played very, very well," Alabama Coach Nick Saban said. "I expect every player to play that way. But he's probably exceeded that to some degree, in terms of his consistency."

"Coach Saban said I exceeded his expectations?" Tagovailoa said. "I don't think I did. He has to be joking with you guys because that's definitely not what Coach Saban would tell us.

"There's always room for improvement, not only with Coach Saban but within our whole coaching staff and within ourselves, too."

ESPN analyst Gene Chizik, the former Auburn head coach, said the fact Tagovailoa is a potential first-round NFL Draft pick surround by Alabama's normal array of first- and second-round talent gives this team an advantage over previous Tide championship teams.

"He's got 'it,' " Chizik said Wednesday at the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club. "I've got five first-round quarterbacks that have been on my teams through the years and he's got all of the same type of elements that I see in some of those other guys.

"The other thing he does that really is different than probably what Alabama has had is he puts the ball in places that gives his wide receivers a chance to make plays with the ball in their hands. ... These guys are catching the ball on the run in full stride, and it really gives them an opportunity to get yards after the catch."

Tagovailoa got solid backup duty to Jalen Hurts during the regular season last season. In the Tide's 41-9 victory over Arkansas, Tagovailoa was 1 of 2 for 33 yards.

But with the Crimson Tide trailing Georgia 13-0 at halftime in last year's CFP championship game, Saban called on the freshman. Tagovailoa engineered a comeback for a 26-23 overtime victory and was named offensive MVP. Tagovailoa completed 14 of 24 passes for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 41-yarder to DeVonta Smith for the game winner in overtime. He has not played in a fourth quarter since.

"Every offense runs through the quarterback and you know Tua's a great one," Arkansas defensive back Kevin Richardson said. "He's got confidence in his arm and he's got confidence in his receivers and they've got a great running back. So it starts off with him and once you control and limit what he can do, then you can stop that offense."

No one has done it yet.

Alabama scored touchdowns on six of its first nine possessions in a 51-14 rout of Louisville to open the season. The Tide had six touchdowns and a field goal on its 10 series with Tagovailoa under center against Arkansas State. A fumble and a missed field goal were the only series that broke up a run of seven consecutive touchdowns against Ole Miss.

Tagovailoa engineered six touchdowns and one field goal during his 11 drives against Texas A&M. And against Louisiana-Lafayette, the Crimson Tide scored touchdowns on all seven of its first half possessions.

He has completed 66 of 88 passes for 1,161 yards this season. The Crimson Tide's third-down conversion rate in the first quarter is 12 of 14 (85.7 percent) and its second quarter rate is 12 of 17 (70.6 percent).

Tagovailoa's efficiency, with former Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos serving as his quarterback coach, has caught the attention of the Razorbacks.

"He's doing a great job managing the offense," Arkansas safety Santos Ramirez said. "He does a great job making his reads. He does a great job making smart decisions with the ball. We're going to have to make sure we stay sound and disciplined."

"They do what they do and they do it at a very high level," Arkansas Coach Chad Morris said. "He's very calm and he's collected. He understands playing within the system and not going above and beyond what's asked of him. Just to operate the system and be effective and efficient with it and take care of the football and I think that's what you're seeing with him."

Sports on 10/05/2018