🏈 Steve Spurrier comments on Alabama's QB change, says he would have done it sooner

[Max]

On Monday night, the Alabama Crimson Tide were trailing the Georgia Bulldogs 13-0 at halftime of the National Championship Game.

That’s when coach Nick Saban made the bold decision to replace starting QB Jalen Hurts with backup Tua Tagovailoa, who then led the Tide to a thrilling overtime victory.

On Friday, legendary coach Steve Spurrier joined “The Paul Finebaum Show” and weighed in on Alabama’s decision, saying he would have made the move sooner:



Spurrier was a talented quarterback himself, so he knows what to expect from the game’s most-important position. Saban, however, is a defensive coach, so the decision was likely a little tougher for him.

Still, it was eventually made and it proved to be the right one, as the Tide claimed their fifth title under Saban.

Now, we will have to wait and see who ends up winning the starting job when the 2018 season kicks off next fall.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/a...comments-alabamas-qb-change-says-done-sooner/

 

[sean]

woulda, shoulda, coulda....

it's all good when it's not you and it's after the game.

nothing, NOTHING, matters at this point. we won the game. nothing can change that. no one can take that away. nothing Coach Saban did before or after halftime caused us to lose the game. why? BECAUSE WE WON!!! plain and simple.

i love it when all these people come out AFTER the game is over and say what they would've done. hindsight is, indeed, 20/20 (or 50/50 if you're pat dye, lol).

 

[TerryP]

This is the type of analysis I so, so look forward to reading. Essentially, we have a platform given a former head coach--former because he quit--who had the quickest hook for QB's than I've ever seen.

On a different note:

If we were to step back a few years (let's go with pre-Saban) you'd hear talk of how Spurrier has a spot in the ol' "Mt. Rushmore of SEC coaches." In fact, there were a good number of those that discussed if he'd end up replacing Coach Bryant.

Fast forward to today and there's an argument if he deserves a spot.

 

[tide92]

Oh yeah, Spurrier's the coach who did such a stellar job judging qb talent at South Carolina and abandoned his team before the season was over just to avoid having his first losing season. I definitely value his opinions. Go back to doing Dr. Pepper commercials Steve, and don't second guess the Champ.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

I am surprised Steve opted for the 2nd QTR. I will assume he hasn't watched Bama play the better teams.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

If the rules allowed it Spurrier would have pulled QB a couple of times in the middle of a play. So I am not sure he is the person to ask about changing QB.

 

[The Dude]

Not sure how much it would have mattered, but if you put Tua in during the 2nd quarter, GA has all of halftime to make adjustments

 

[TheChief]

I would have pulled Jalen in the second half, not quarter, as well... the second half of the Mississippi State game.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

I would have pulled Jalen in the second half, not quarter, as well... the second half of the Mississippi State game.

Boom...........Now that is what I am talking about.....Steven A

 

[TerryP]

So I am not sure he is the person to ask about changing QB.

He gets an awful lot of credit for developing quarterbacks where there's an awful lot of quarterbacks, he's recruited, that are not developed. There's a reason his offenses don't work in collegiate football--you can't just throw to a spot as your total offense today.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Did any of his QB do well in the NFL? Most seem to be perpetual backups at best. Not a great look for a man who is supposed to be almost the QB whisperer.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Yea....and the mouthy one has...what...1 NC....and a 40 point loss in another nc game... and he was getting primo talent at time....
Yea he juggled QBs...and yea he probaby would have pulled Jahan
And he probably would still have 1 NC...
And Just like a lot of posters on here...thats what they say they would have done..
Having not the time to be at practice...know a players limitations...strengths and weaknesses..etc....
Its easy to say u will be successful.then to be successful ...
Whats funny...if I elevated myself in NS mind...starting OT...i would have put Jahen back in...25 yards to go for the win...all sec offensive player of year...fresh legs vs tired D ( UGA was gassed by 4 th quarter..)......trust of Jahen...glad NS was running show....not me

 

[TerryP]

Did any of his QB do well in the NFL?

Best would have to be Grossman, right?

 

[Che Boludo]

The Ole Ball Coach is one of a kind. For those trying to misremember how effective he was as a coach, I don't get it. He was a self-absorbed, grade A asshole and still is, but a phenomenal coach who dominated the SEC in the 90s and brought USCe some of the best years of football in their history. USCe only had one 10+ win season in the poll era, if I didn't overlook one, and SoS brought them 3 in a row..

But, he isn't lying. He'd pull a QB in a second to send a lesson and/or create a spark. If I recall correctly, he yanked Danny Wuerffel very early in the first game of his '96 Heisman year against a directional LA school. Love him or hate him, he wasn't afraid to gamble or speak his mind, and he won more often than not.

 

[TerryP]

The Ole Ball Coach is one of a kind. For those trying to misremember how effective he was as a coach, I don't get it. He was a self-absorbed, grade A asshole and still is, but a phenomenal coach who dominated the SEC in the 90s and brought USCe some of the best years of football in their history. USCe only had one 10+ win season in the poll era, if I didn't overlook one, and SoS brought them 3 in a row..

In my case, it's not that my memory fades. It is more of a case where I see some important things that belong in the context of what he accomplished and some of that falls on opposing coaches he faced.

At UofSC he does get a hat tip for those three seasons (especially considering their history--or lack of) with 11 wins. What was the state of the SECE at that point is one consideration. As I recall there were 24 SEC games through that period with only five of their opponents have 10 win seasons. I also recall there were five teams that only won five games in those seasons and a lot of 7-6, 6-7 type records.

One thing I've heard argued, to merit, is how the NCAA change of where the hash marks are on the field had A LOT to do with this success at UF. On that note, that falls on DC's and DB coaches as well.

Despite his record at UF when facing UGA, I'll take a Richt/Bobo combination for quarterback development every day, all day.

 

[Che Boludo]

I'll take a Richt/Bobo combination for quarterback development every day, all day.

Agreed, but different argument. I was speaking to his ability to manage personnel and win ball games, not his ability to develop talent to the players best end. His schemes and playcalling made him notable. It was how he used available talent to create and exploit matchups, not how he made players better individually. In that light, I think Kiffin and Kelly are more like Spurrier.

P.S: that was quite the detailed set of recollections in your previous

 

[TerryP]

P.S: that was quite the detailed set of recollections in your previous

Remember where I live. It's due to inundation of fan comments here.

 

[OldPlayer]

Everybody is right when you say it after it's happened.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Everybody is right when you say it after it's happened.

The 2nd half of the A&M game would have been about right.