This is not exactly the most optimal way to open the spring for Nick Saban and Alabama.
Shortly before seven p.m. ET this evening, grad transfer quarterback Gardner Minshew, who originally committed to play his last season of college football at Alabama, announced on Twitter that he will instead move on to Washington State. Not long after that, after the Crimson Tide had completed their first practice of the spring, Saban confirmed that Tua Tagovailoa sustained an injury to the thumb on his left (throwing) hand. Specifically how he sustained the injury wasn’t clear.
The rising sophomore will be taken to Birmingham for further evaluation; just how long he’ll be sidelined remains to be seen.
Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa hurt his thumb in practice and will be taken to Birmingham to be evaluated. "Probably going to require some time for him to get back. I'm not going to speculate on what the injury might be," Nick Saban said. https://t.co/kmKJn5nr4b
— Alex Scarborough (@AlexS_ESPN) March 20, 2018
Jalen Hurts started every game but one at quarterback the past two seasons, guiding the Crimson Tide to a 26-2 record in that span. He was under center for the national championship game loss to Clemson, and was in the same spot for this year’s title game against Georgia until a 13-0 halftime deficit compelled Saban to pull the trigger on a change.
And the rest, as they say, is history, as Tagovailoa played a significant role in a second-half comeback that was capped by the true freshman’s game-winning touchdown pass in the first overtime. Even as it seems obvious to those on the outside that this is Tagovailoa’s team moving forward, given how much more advanced the backup is in the passing game than the erstwhile starter, Saban is not quite ready to pull the trigger on a full-time change at the position. In fact, the head coach even stated that he’s open to playing both quarterbacks.
Minshew, who started five games at East Carolina last season, was viewed as experienced insurance in case Hurts decided to transfer. Or, if Tagovailoa suffered an injury.