Nick Saban shares what Tua Tagovailoa needs to improve

Nick Saban coached Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama for three seasons and is preparing to see his former quarterback move on to the NFL. Saban believes in Tagovailoa but thinks Tua has some areas he needs to improve.

Appearing on ESPN’s College GameDay with Rece Davis Thursday, Saban talked about Tua’s prospects in the NFL. He said Tagovailoa will do well and teams should overlook the medical issues that have supposedly scared some front offices. But he did make a suggestion.

“Look, I think Tua needs to learn a little bit about self-preservation,” Saban said. “I think most of his injuries [at Alabama] occurred after he got rid of the ball. He didn’t have to take the hit that he took. And I think that he is a great competitor and he’s always trying to make a play, so you don’t want to take that competitive spirit away, but I do think there is a time when he needs to get rid of the ball so he doesn’t get hit. But everything else he can do as a quarterback.”

Saban then said he hoped teams wouldn’t make the same mistake he made in Miami where they passed on Drew Brees because of medical concerns about the quarterback’s shoulder. Brees signed with New Orleans and began a Hall of Fame career with them, while Saban’s stint in Miami didn’t go well and he went back to Alabama. Interestingly, an ESPN analyst made the same situational comparison with Tagovailoa that Saban did.