🏈 Blocking for Tua

[Alabama17Tide]

Tagovailoa's mobility a challenge for defenses and offensive linemen alike

Tagovailoa's mobility a challenge for defenses and offensive linemen alike | BamaInsider.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The looping twists and turns Tua Tagovailoa pulls off in the pocket are dizzying for opposing pass rushers to defend. Saturday, a sharp pivot off his right foot allowed Tagovailoa to leave Louisville linebacker Jon Greenard in the dust, giving the sophomore quarterback enough time to chuck up an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy on Alabama’s first drive.

“That’s part of what makes him such a good player is that he has the ability to extend plays,” said Alabama offensive lineman Jonah Williams.

Although, while Tagovailoa makes life difficult for opposing defenseless, blocking for the scrambling escape artist is also a challenge.

“As a lineman, we kind of have this thing called a mental clock where you’re sitting there [thinking], ‘Well the ball should be out,’ and you really have to erase that,” Williams said. “You can’t stop blocking after any point.”

Williams isn’t privy to Tagovailoa’s maneuvers behind him. Because of that, he isn’t always sure where his quarterback is in the backfield or whether or not he’s gotten rid of the ball yet. The last thing the offensive tackle wants to do is get in the way of a big run.

“Generally my job is to stay between the defender and the quarterback, so you have to feel where the defender’s going, and react to it and adjust,” Williams said. “I think that Tua has a good feel for the field and knows when he can slip out or try to get to the front of the pocket, something like that. It is tough as a tackle if he tries to escape out the back because you’re supposed to let him go way upfield. But I think he has a good feel for it.”

While it’s often up to Tagovailoa to maneuver his way out of trouble, Williams says he’s getting better at knowing when his quarterback is in the midst of a big play behind him.

“I think a lot of times I’m blocking him, and I see the defender go somewhere that he shouldn’t go if he’s set up [in the pocket], so I know he’s doing something, creating an opening or making someone miss, something like that,” Williams said. “It’s exciting as an offensive lineman. I’m never going to complain about a quarterback making plays, even if I have to block for 45 seconds.”

There are also times when Williams helps out his quarterback before the snap. Before Tagovailoa’s nine-yard touchdown run on Alabama’s second possession, Williams noticed Louisville’s defensive end was playing head-up on tight end Irv Smith Jr. instead of outside as he had been lined up previously. After spotting the difference, the savvy offensive lineman called for a blocking shift that allowed Tagovailoa to prance into the end zone untouched.

“I made that call to Irv, and he went up and covered the guy up,” Williams said. “It’s just that type of thing where I probably couldn’t tell you what they would call that, but I could recognize something was not right about the alignment of the defense.”

Outside of the hit Tagovailoa took after delivering his first touchdown to Jeudy, Alabama’s offensive line did a good job of keeping the quarterback on his feet. The unit gave up just one sack and three quarterback hurries and provided Tagovailoa enough time to pick apart Louisville’s secondary for 227 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

“It feels like every time I looked down the field there’s a different guy with the ball,” Williams said. “And we have so many talented guys across the board that it’s good to see them getting in on the action.”

Those are the only moments Williams gets to see while blocking. Lately, they’ve been making the extra work well worth his while.

 

[TUSKtimes]

And this is the part of Tua's game that makes him so very special. His height should never hurt him with his ability to move and react in the pocket. His size may be the reason he moves and passes on the run with such precision and skill. He's so accurate with the ball because his feet are always underneath him. I think Tua is making some of his best runs when he doesn't leave the LOS.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is....................We'll see

I am hopeful that now that Nick has named #13 The Man all the talk of #2 Vs #13 will be hype/talk about the QB position will be become more normal or near what is expected of a Bama QB. Both Ten Bears and his fine staff and I agree that defense will determine if we get a chance to go to Atlanta.

 

[JoshB]

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is....................We'll see

I am hopeful that now that Nick has named #14 The Man all the talk of #2 Vs #13 will be hype/talk about the QB position will be become more normal or near what is expected of a Bama QB. Both Ten Bears and his fine staff and I agree that defense will determine if we get a chance to go to Atlanta.

Do what? What does Deionte Thompson have to do with this topic?

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is....................We'll see

I am hopeful that now that Nick has named #14 The Man all the talk of #2 Vs #13 will be hype/talk about the QB position will be become more normal or near what is expected of a Bama QB. Both Ten Bears and his fine staff and I agree that defense will determine if we get a chance to go to Atlanta.

Do what? What does Deionte Thompson have to do with this topic?

LOL 13 or 14 QB...imagine that

 

[bamachine]

They got beat in the gap between the RG and RT a lot this past week. That got closed down later in the game. Leatherwood kept trying to play RG like he was playing LT, drifting to his left, letting guys shoot through the hole. I think he figured it out after the first few series and hopefully for the rest of the season..

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

They got beat in the gap between the RG and RT a lot this past week. That got closed down later in the game. Leatherwood kept trying to play RG like he was playing LT, drifting to his left, letting guys shoot through the hole. I think he figured it out after the first few series and hopefully for the rest of the season..

It appeared VanGorder was using the same attacking defense that many used when Hurts was the starting QB. Perhaps he and Bobby thought Nick would go with #2.

 

[TerryP]

They got beat in the gap between the RG and RT a lot this past week. That got closed down later in the game. Leatherwood kept trying to play RG like he was playing LT, drifting to his left, letting guys shoot through the hole. I think he figured it out after the first few series and hopefully for the rest of the season..

A lot of that was due to stunts and twists coming from their defensive line. To me it looked like BVG looked for a hole and decided it was between those two. I left with the feeling it was a coaching moment and we saw the learning process. Some might label it adjustment.

 

[bamachine]

They got beat in the gap between the RG and RT a lot this past week. That got closed down later in the game. Leatherwood kept trying to play RG like he was playing LT, drifting to his left, letting guys shoot through the hole. I think he figured it out after the first few series and hopefully for the rest of the season..

A lot of that was due to stunts and twists coming from their defensive line. To me it looked like BVG looked for a hole and decided it was between those two. I left with the feeling it was a coaching moment and we saw the learning process. Some might label it adjustment.

That is the difference in playing at the tackles and playing interior line. The tackles usually try to get off fast, to avoid getting beat by a speed rush. The interior needs to read the pressure before moving left, right or staying put in the middle. He seemed to get a grasp on it after the first few series.

 

[TerryP]

They got beat in the gap between the RG and RT a lot this past week. That got closed down later in the game. Leatherwood kept trying to play RG like he was playing LT, drifting to his left, letting guys shoot through the hole. I think he figured it out after the first few series and hopefully for the rest of the season..

It appeared VanGorder was using the same attacking defense that many used when Hurts was the starting QB. Perhaps he and Bobby thought Nick would go with #2.

When Mississippi State exposed that it was crashing the ends. This was more interior stunts.

They certainly had more in the box--consistently. They had safeties crashing often...had safeties lost as hell on a few occasions as well.

 

[JoshB]

They got beat in the gap between the RG and RT a lot this past week. That got closed down later in the game. Leatherwood kept trying to play RG like he was playing LT, drifting to his left, letting guys shoot through the hole. I think he figured it out after the first few series and hopefully for the rest of the season..

It appeared VanGorder was using the same attacking defense that many used when Hurts was the starting QB. Perhaps he and Bobby thought Nick would go with #2.

They had safeties crashing often...had safeties lost as hell on a few occasions as well.

Including blitzing a safety on 4th down.

 

[rick4bama]

How does the line do it? I mean this guy stay in the pocket that ball is going somewhere? If he get out the pocket, then you don't know if he tossing it , or taking off for a run? Yes, i see that he look at the whole field in front of him.