Take Two: Would Tua's brother consider anywhere other than Bama?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network.
THE STORYLINE
The biggest news of Saturday night, other than Alabama whipping LSU in Baton Rouge, were the pictures of four-star quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa walking on the field during pre-game with LSU coach Ed Orgeron.
His brother, Tua, is of course Alabama’s starting quarterback and the Heisman Trophy favorite. Taulia, a four-star quarterback in the 2019 class, is already committed to the Crimson Tide.
But here was Tagovailoa and Orgeron walking around the place, being mentioned on the CBS broadcast and after the game, LSU defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko, a childhood friend of Tua's, telling him Taulia would end up playing for the Tigers. Joking or not, Orgeron is making a play for the younger Tagovailoa and doesn’t seem to be giving up.
Tua has become a superstar at Alabama and that might draw his brother to Tuscaloosa even more, or it could be a shadow no one can live under. Paul Tyson, Bear Bryant’s great-grandson, is also committed to the Crimson Tide in this recruiting class. LSU also has a 2019 QB pledge in three-star Peter Parrish.
Tagovailoa, who is completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,026 yards with 29 touchdowns and five interceptions and has also rushed for four scores this season at Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson, has shown no serious indication that he would even consider backing off his Alabama pledge.
But Orgeron and other schools are not backing down. Is there any chance in the world LSU can flip him or will Alabama have a Tagovailoa on its roster for years to come?
TAKE ONE: Chad Simmons, Rivals.com Southeast analyst
“Is there any way in the world? Yes, I think there is a chance he doesn’t end up at Alabama. I don’t see it happening right now, but there is always that chance until the papers are signed. All signs still point to Taulia ending up in Tuscaloosa. Yes, there is pressure if he follows Tua, but I don’t think those boys feel pressure. They seek to play their best under pressure. I will continue to monitor his recruitment, but ‘Bama looks to be in a good spot to keep him in this class.”
TAKE TWO: Mike Farrell, Rivals.com recruiting director
“That family is so tight, there’s no way he’s not going to follow his brother to Alabama, it doesn’t matter what happens. I don’t think he can be better than his brother because it’s hard to be better than near-perfect. The pressure situation is something I don’t think the family really worries about, otherwise Tua wouldn’t have gone to Alabama in the first place. Taulia is a competitor. I like him. He’s shorter, he has a stronger arm than Tua but not quite as accurate. I don’t see a way he could be better than his brother, but he could still be a very, very good quarterback there. He’s put up some pretty good numbers this season.”