I'm sure we've all heard everyone's favorite talking points about Tua now, #1 he sucks against "good defenses" and #2 he is injury prone. The stats that get thrown up Ad nauseam now is the "vs. Top 25 defenses":
TUA vs. Top 25 defenses (2018)
But when you expand that to Top 50 defenses...
TUA vs. Top 50 defenses (2018)
Of course that doesn't benefit the narrative, so obviously the narrative is now "only Top 25 defenses" are good ones I guess (of course pointing out how he absolutely torched two other Top 35 defenses doesn't help this talking point either). I also think you have to take into account the knee (and then ankle) injury that clearly affected him down the stretch, which brings us to the #2 talking point. I dont think its really fair to call him "injury prone" - the first one was a pretty freak accident - but regardless the added muscle mass can only help him.
TUA vs. Top 25 defenses (2018)
- LSU (#25 overall) - 25/42, 295 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 49 yards rushing, 1 TD (29-0 win, four weeks after knee injury)
- Mississippi State (#1 overall) - 14/21, 169 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (24-0 win, five weeks after knee injury)
- Georgia (#14 overall) - 10/25, 164 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT (35-28 win, injured ankle on first drive and then injured it further later)
- Clemson (#4 overall) - 22/34, 295 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT (struggled throughout, loss)
But when you expand that to Top 50 defenses...
TUA vs. Top 50 defenses (2018)
- Texas A&M (#32 defense) - 22/30, 387 yards, 4 TD, 1 rushing TD (pre injury, 45-23 win)
- Auburn (#35 defense) - 25/32, 324 yards, 5 TD, 1 rushing TD (more than a month after initial injury, 52-21 win)
- Arkansas State (#45 defense) - 13/19, 228 yards, 4 TD (before injury, 57-7 win)
- Tennessee (#49 defense) - 19, 29, 306 yards, 4 TD (two weeks after knee injury, 58-21 win)
Of course that doesn't benefit the narrative, so obviously the narrative is now "only Top 25 defenses" are good ones I guess (of course pointing out how he absolutely torched two other Top 35 defenses doesn't help this talking point either). I also think you have to take into account the knee (and then ankle) injury that clearly affected him down the stretch, which brings us to the #2 talking point. I dont think its really fair to call him "injury prone" - the first one was a pretty freak accident - but regardless the added muscle mass can only help him.