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2017 4* QB "Tua" Tagovailoa


aucanucktiger

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Nations #2 dual-threat QB. Out of Honolulu, so understandably has favored USC & UCLA for over a year. According to SEC Country, he just took a 4,000 mile journey to visit Auburn, Ole Miss & Alabama and came away saying all are equal. His dad said he was checking out jobs in Mobile and he likes Bama but a "relationship has been created" with Auburn. IMO the most interesting part of SEC Country's article is its claim that Saban, Freeze and Malzahn ALL told Tua "he is the No. 1 QB they are pursuing in this year's class". So....figured a thread for this guy is justified. Says he will announce by July. His full first name is Tuanigamanuolepola.

https://www.seccountry.com/alabama/desire-to-dream-big-could-land-nations-no-2-dual-threat-qb-his-family-in-sec-country

Every now and then, CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist might unintentionally stumble over the pronunciation of a player’s name. Well, the longtime voice of the SEC has a year head start on this one, and he’ll need the practice because he may be saying it a lot.

Verne, meet the mouthful that is Tuanigamanuolepola (Tua, pronounced Two-uh, for short) Tagovailoa (pronounced Tag-o-vy-low-uh).

Last weekend, the once-unlikely scenario of Tua, the nation’s No. 2 dual-threat quarterback, playing in the SEC took a big step toward becoming reality. He and his family made the more-than-4,000-mile trip from their home in Honolulu to visit three SEC schools — Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss.

Tagovailoa’s decision is no longer as cut-and-dried as it had seemed just days ago.

It was the recruit’s first time in the southern United States, yet somehow Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Oxford reminded him a little of home.

He couldn’t even name many differences except for, well, the obvious one.

“Really nothing, besides the ocean,” Tagovailoa said with a laugh. “If we’re looking at traits, there’s really no difference. Family and faith are a very big deal in Hawaii. I see that a lot over here, too.”

Tagovailoa, who threw for 2,916 yards and scored 35 total touchdowns last season, has publicly declared Southern California as his No. 1 school for over a year. After all, it’s the school the lefty says he’s dreamed of playing for.

His father, Galu (pronounced Na-loo), says Southern Cal is the school his family has loved, and the program that “has always been a part of our lives, and a part of our heart.”

After completing their SEC tour, the Tagovailoas experienced a new feeling, one that has suddenly made the recruitment of this top-two quarterback prospect much more interesting.

“Everything is equal at this moment,” Tagovailoa told SEC Country. “I say that because when I used to fly out to the mainland, those were the only two schools I would ever see — USC and UCLA. I haven’t gotten to see schools like these before. It was great.”

While visiting Alabama, Tagovailoa marveled at the Crimson Tide’s 16 national championship trophies. Auburn showed off its $13.9 million, mammoth video board that ranks as the largest in college football, and Tagovailoa stood next to the shrine of Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. At Ole Miss, Tagovailoa strolled through the Manning Center, named after two all-time Rebels quarterbacks who also happen to be two of the greatest signal callers in SEC history, Archie and Eli.

He gained the experience of how deeply college football is ingrained in all three communities, and how intensely fans identify with and support their teams.

“You see how much football really means down here to these people here, especially in the state of Alabama with Auburn and Alabama,” Tagovailoa said. “There’s not an NFL team in the state. Really, Alabama and Auburn are the two professional teams for the state.”

While Tagovailoa says none of his suitors holds an advantage at the moment, his father seems to have formulated his own favorite.

“Alabama was my personal favorite only because of our relationship and how we communicated with them,” he said. “Ole Miss was the first to offer Tua and we had that relationship with them out in Hawaii. I guess somewhere along the way, it broke off a bit. When we visited (last weekend), it got stronger. Then Auburn — we really didn’t have a relationship with them. But we felt like because we are visiting Alabama and Ole Miss, why not come out and visit them? Our relationship with them got better on this visit. Right now, we are kind of gauging toward Alabama only because of the relationships we have with (offensive coordinator) Lane Kiffin and (Coach) Nick Saban.

“That’s the family’s favorite, and mainly Tua’s right now.”

The four-star prospect is planning on making a commitment to his school of choice this July, but if a decision was to be made today, his father thinks Alabama would have its quarterback in the Class of 2017.

“If it was made today, just with what has happened this week, it would be Alabama,” Galu said. “Again, because of the relationship we built with them. Our relationship with Alabama has kept growing. This is just my opinion but it would be Alabama.”

Of course, many prospects, and even their family members, make bold proclamations about the schools they just visited when emotions are running high after an exciting experience.

However, the Tagovailoa family appears to be quite serious about the prospect of their son leaving Hawaii for the faraway SEC.

Tua’s father and mother, Diane, told SEC Country that they’ve had conversations about potentially moving to, or at least near, whichever locale their son chooses.

“We have talked about a lot of those things, even if he was staying on the West Coast,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “I have kind of looked at some jobs on the West Coast in my field. We also needed to consider that we needed to look at jobs in Mobile or in that area. That was one of the biggest reasons why we took this trip as a family. When it comes down to making a decision like this, it’s a family decision.”

Diane came away impressed with all three schools. She believes the facilities at the SEC schools are superior to those she has visited in the Pac-12 (Southern Cal and Washington). She also believes Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss would all offer her son an excellent education.

Diane told her son one key piece of advice that may turn out to be something that shapes his recruitment from here on out.

“I was just sharing with him that if he didn’t have all of these (three SEC) offers and had just one, the SEC would be the one to go with,” Diane Tagovailoa said. “To me, you can’t go wrong choosing any of the SEC schools.”

All three coaches — Saban, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, and Ole Miss’ Hugh Freeze — told Tagovailoa that he is the No. 1 quarterback they are pursuing for this year’s class.

As a dual-threat quarterback, Auburn’s spread offense, among the SEC schools, would figure to fit his passing and running skills best .

However, Tagovailoa says he isn’t looking for what might be most comfortable, or for what is most similar to the offense he operates at Saint Louis School in Honolulu.

“The West Coast schools have the fast-tempo offense,” Tagovailoa said. “They don’t really go under center. They don’t really mix things up. I want to go to a place where I’ll be able to see it all. I think the SEC is the best place for that.

While the family has discussed moving, it is obviously a major commitment, and perhaps not a practical one.

“I think if you’re a ball player and want to compete at the highest level, this (the SEC) is the next level to the NFL,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “That’s what he wants to do. If I had it my way, I would want him on the West Coast. It’s convenient and would be easier for my family.”

Making the trip from Hawaii to any SEC destination in the fall would cost the family thousands of dollars in plane tickets alone.

If Tagovailoa decides the SEC is where he wants to be, but his family decides moving isn’t in the cards, his mother said they won’t stop him from fulfilling his wish

“I would be perfectly fine with it because they play the games on TV,” Diane Tagovailoa said. “At the same token, we only get to do this once. He is the oldest of four children and we want to make sure we give him the most of his opportunities. To me, as a mother, I want to give him the ability to explore his options and you can’t get better than the SEC.”

Family ties

Tua Tagovailoa isn’t the only quarterback prospect in the family. His younger brother, Taulia, who did not make the SEC trip, is a rising sophomore at Kapolei High School, where his father is the offensive coordinator.

Tua is often compared to another Hawaiian quarterback, former Oregon star and current Tennessee Titans starter Marcus Mariota. Mariota also starred at Saint Louis School before going on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2015.

During his acceptance speech, Mariota made several references to the Polynesian culture in Hawaii that reflect how Tagovailoa lives his life — never forgetting his roots and setting an example for the younger generation.

“To Hawaii nei [beloved Hawaii], thank you for teaching me humility and respect,” Mariota said in 2015.

“To the Polynesian community,” Mariota’s speech continued, “I hope and pray that this is only the beginning. Young Poly athletes everywhere, you should take this as motivation, and dream big and strive for greatness.”

Prior to his trip through the SEC, Tagovailoa, like most players in Hawaii, had only been exposed to schools on the West Coast, and that fueled his natural love for the Trojans..

Now that he has stepped foot on SEC soil, and delved into SEC football culture, Tagovailoa is doing exactly what Mariota indirectly instructed him to do — dream big and strive for greatness.

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Nations #2 dual-threat QB. Out of Honolulu, so understandably has favored USC & UCLA for over a year. According to SEC Country, he just took a 4,000 mile journey to visit Auburn, Ole Miss & Alabama and came away saying all are equal. His dad said he was checking out jobs in Mobile and he likes Bama but a "relationship has been created" with Auburn. IMO the most interesting part of SEC Country's article is its claim that Saban, Freeze and Malzahn ALL told Tua "he is the No. 1 QB they are pursuing in this year's class". So....figured a thread for this guy is justified. Says he will announce by July. His full first name is Tuanigamanuolepola.

That news makes me feel Laule‘a.
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People are calling this kid the next Marcus Mariota.

Here are some youtube highlights:

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WOW that is one heck of a name!!!

Interesting that bama is in the conversation with AU and Ole Sis on a DTQB.

I would like for us to open a door to the Pacific Islands. There are good OL prospects there consistently, and occasionally a good QB or other good prospect.

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Why are all highlights in redzone?

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Why are all highlights in redzone?

Probably because the majority of his highlights are touchdowns. He does have an impressive long ball as well, in the later highlights.

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Why are all highlights in redzone?

Considering AU's woes in the redzone, I'm OK with that.

True enough...
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I dunno, I can't imagine the level of competition he plays against is very good. Not to be a downer and maybe I'm way off base here but we often critique a player on who he plays against. Just a thought.

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Looks to have good arm strength.

Footwork could use some work though. Too much running backwards, it's not controlled. He also doesn't step into throws as much as I'd like.

I like the way he runs. North/South and really sticks his foot in the ground to make cuts.

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Interesting that bama is in the conversation with AU and Ole Sis on a DTQB.

Bama signed the #3 dual threat QB this year, 4 star Jalen Hurts out of Texas. Obviously, Kiffin is modernizing the Bama offense.

.

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He looks pretty awesome in his films. Maybe Malzahn will take his wife to Hawaii on a vacation plus do some recruiting while he's there.

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I like a lefty QB. If I remember correctly, Reggie Slack is a lefty.

nope

Reggie Slack or Brandon Cox. They are easily mixed up.
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I like a lefty QB. If I remember correctly, Reggie Slack is a lefty.

nope

Reggie Slack or Brandon Cox. They are easily mixed up.

Oh no you didn't!

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I like a lefty QB. If I remember correctly, Reggie Slack is a lefty.

nope

Reggie Slack or Brandon Cox. They are easily mixed up.

Very true never thought about that.

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I like a lefty QB. If I remember correctly, Reggie Slack is a lefty.

nope

Reggie Slack or Brandon Cox. They are easily mixed up.

Oh no you didn't!

Dare I say I made Mikey laugh?...I must be on a roll.
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Are we still recruiting Narcisse (sp)? Just wondering since we are now discussing Tua.

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Are we still recruiting Narcisse (sp)? Just wondering since we are now discussing Tua.

Yes but with CDC now at LSU and LN's dad passing away recently, the chances of him leaving the state or slim to none IMO.

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Are we still recruiting Narcisse (sp)? Just wondering since we are now discussing Tua.

Yes. LN is still #1 on the board & AU is still squarely in the fight w/ LSU & Bama. He has not focused on recruiting recent because his dad died not long ago.
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