Tennessee football vs. Alabama: 10 keys for Vols and Crimson Tide

6. Is Tua Tagovailoa fully healthy?

Nobody in America would probably have an easier time preparing for Jalen Hurts alone than Jeremy Pruitt. But if Tua Tagovailoa is fully healthy, Nick Saban and Mike Locksley could mix things up easily enough to cause him trouble, especially with his team’s own personnel issues.

If he’s hurt, however, then it’s a different story. Tennessee football could be in for a huge break. We just analyzed how the Vols could get pressure. There’s one other take to this. What if Tua’s sprained knee limits what he can do?

Yes, he’s more of a pocket passer. But the guy had just enough mobility to make him the perfectly designed quarterback. That may be gone, which would make the pressure easier. On top of that, it could lessen his throwing ability. So taking all that into account, yes, Tua’s health is a really big deal, and Saban probably knows it.

Of course, we know the Tide are so loaded that they could offset his injury. But how a team wins is a habit. Alabama’s habit is relying on Tua. So if he’s not full-go, they are in trouble. Saban even choosing to play him when he has Hurts is a sign of how much he respects Tennessee football.

This all means that Saban has to know he needs Tua. And without him, or with him even banged up, the Vols could do a lot of damage to him. Would Jerry Jeudy be the same with a full year of Hurts? He may not be.