Highly touted quarterback recruit Tua Tagovailoa speaks to the media during a news conference announcing the recruiting class for the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Gary Cosby Jr./The Tuscaloosa News via AP)
Tua Tagovailoa was one of the nation’s top football recruits, a five-star quarterback from Hawaii who chose to join Nick Saban’s program in Alabama. Since he arrived on campus as an early enrollee, Tagovailoa has overseen a number of shifts, including Tuesday’s departure of the still recently appointed offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
Sarkisian or not, Tagovailoa doesn’t sound too concerned about the future of Alabama’s offense.
Here’s Tagovailoa in response to the early reports that Sarkisian was departing for the Falcons:
🤷
♀️
— Tua Tagovailoa (@Tuaamann_) February 7, 2017
♀️That’s not the reaction of someone with a strong personal connection to his offensive coordinator.
To be fair, it’s likely that Tagovailoa will get at least a year to adapt to any new system installed by a new offensive coordinator thanks to the success of Jalen Hurts. Still, any new coordinator and system will have a significant impact on Tagovailoa, so his equanimity about whoever comes in speaks to his immense self-confidence. While Tagovailoa also re-tweeted a Twitter meme about the possibility of former Oregon coach Chip Kelly serving as the next coordinator, it’s clear he’ll be confident in his own abilities no matter who moves in.