(Photo: Bleacher Report)
Let’s rewind for a second. It’s Monday, January 8th, 2018. It’s National Championship Monday night and the Alabama Crimson Tide are facing Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs for the title. Nick Saban is still widely regarded as the best coach in the country, and Kirby Smart is facing his former boss. Jalen Hurts is the starting Quarterback. Jalen would get benched for Tua Tagovailoa who would come in and lead the Crimson Tide to another championship. Tua would become the Tide’s starting Quarterback, then enter his name in the NFL Draft where he was selected fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have struggled to find a franchise Quarterback since the Dan Marino days, but we all know how challenging it is to replace a Hall of Famer. Miami has rewarded Tua with a nice contract extension. A four-year deal worth $212.4 million and $167 million guaranteed.
He’s been called the “Steph Curry” of that offense meaning everything goes through him. When I see him throw the ball, it falls right into his intended receiver’s hands. When the ball leaves his hand, it’s the perfect pass each time. Tua doesn’t receive enough credit for how accurate he is. It could be the deep pass down the field and he hits his receiver in stride, the back shoulder throw where he times it perfectly, or, hitting his receiver over the middle on a drag route, he finds a way to get the ball to his target. You can throw the prettiest-looking spiral all you want, but the one thing scouts and coaches look for is if you can get the football to your intended target. Tua can do both. Let’s talk about his ability to extend plays. Depending on which is the dominant hand for a Quarterback, the goal of a defender is to push him to his weak (opposite) side. That isn’t the case with Tua as he can move the pocket to either side and make the throw on the run. His footwork is very fluid and craftier than he’s given credit for. I’ve always loved his understanding of the pocket. Tua understands angles and when to either step up or spin away. He can also make people miss.
It’s been a treat watching him from his days in Tuscaloosa under Nick Saban to now with the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. This isn’t a knock on Brian Flores, but I don’t think Tua would be the Quarterback he is today if Brian were still his Head Coach. Mike McDaniel has been the best coaching option for him by far. Coaching does indeed make a difference in today’s game. He often reminds some of Russell Wilson during his Seattle days with the mobility he displays. The Dolphins finally have that franchise Quarterback and he’ll be with them for the foreseeable future.
