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There will be a Tagovailoa playing quarterback on Saturday for Alabama.
With Tua Tagovailoa out for the rest of the season, the Crimson Tide’s plan has changed for Tua’s little brother, freshman quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa.
Alabama had been planning to redshirt Taulia.
Taulia is the team’s new backup quarterback and he’s set to get some playing time against Western Carolina this weekend.
“We’re gonna play him this week in this game some kind of way regardless of how the game goes to try to get him some experience, some playing time and hopefully some confidence, ”head coach Nick Saban said. “When we had the unfortunate injury last week to Tua, that kind of negated the opportunity to be able tor redshirt to Taulia.”
Taulia played in four games as the third quarterback behind his brother and Mac Jones and enters this weekend 7 for 9 for 65 yards.
His most extensive playing time of the year came late in Alabama’s win over Arkansas Oct. 26, when the former four-star recruit completed 6 of 8 passes for 45 yards .
He’ll probably get more opportunities to throw on Saturday, though.
“With him being now the backup quarterback, we thought we needed to play him,” Saban said, “because if something happens to this quarterback, Mac Jones, he’s going to be the guy that’s got to go in the game and try to win the game for us. ”
Matt Zenitz is an Alabama and Auburn reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter@ mzenitz.
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