Mike Locksley reveals Tua Tagovailoa was ready to transfer after not starting semifinal game against Clemson

Tua Tagovailoa nearly left Alabama. In a recent piece by ESPN’s Chris Low and Harry Lyles Jr., former Alabama co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Mike Locksley reflected on the 2018 College Football Playoff.

In the semifinal, Alabama faced off against familiar foe Clemson. Despite facing illness in the week leading up to the game, quarterback Jalen Hurts started. While Alabama won the game 24-6, Hurts only threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns.

Tua Tagovailoa was reportedly “boiling mad and ready to transfer.” The Hawai’i native had received first-team reps all week before the game only for Hurts to steal the show. Locksley reflected on Tagovailoa’s performance in the week ahead of the Clemson game.

“I’m not sure the ball hit the ground in any of those practices,” Locksley said. “Tua was unbelievable.”

Evidently, the Alabama staff didn’t quickly forget Tagovailoa’s impressive practice outings. Alabama trailed Georgia 13-0 at halftime of the national championship and had generated essentially no offense. With the game on the line, Nick Saban turned to his staff for advice.

“‘Coach, if you’re asking my opinion and you want to get the offense going, let’s give Tua a shot,'” Locksley recalled saying. “I said, ‘I’ll talk to Jalen, and if it doesn’t work, we can always go back to Jalen.’

“There was never a flinch whatsoever on his part to make that move,” Locksley said. “That’s the thing about Coach. He listens to people, but he’s the one that makes the decision. And when he does, there’s no turning back.”

Saban’s fearless attitude paid off. Tagovailoa completed 14 of 24 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-winning 41-yard dart to DeVonta Smith in overtime. Locksley claimed Hurts was similarly upset with the coaching staff’s decision to sub him out in the second half.

Nonetheless, Locksley believes Saban couldn’t have handled the situation better.

“It’s never easy to juggle those types of things. Only one quarterback can play, but Coach does a great job of managing it and allowing the people who are closest to the players to be a big part of it,” Locksley said. “And then in 2018, it was almost a reversal. Jalen comes in and saves us in the SEC championship game. He was ready. Those things don’t happen by accident. The tone is set at the top.”

Now, both quarterbacks are All-Pro standouts behind center in the NFL. The two stories are just a couple of pages in Saban’s endless book of accomplishments.