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Alabama Football: 5 reasons why the Crimson Tide will struggle in 2017

By Andrew Miller

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after the Clemson Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 35-31 in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after the Clemson Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 35-31 in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

3. Jalen Hurts looking over his shoulder

As a freshman, Hurts was a stud. He totaled nearly 4,000 yards and racked up 36 total touchdowns. However, freshman quarterback and former five-star recruit Tua Tagovailoa could get some playing time behind Hurts early in the season.

Saban has shown a recent trend of trying out multiple quarterbacks early in the season. Yet, he has not had an established young quarterback like Hurts to look to really since A.J. McCarron‘s time in Tuscaloosa. Throwing Tagovailoa in too early could rattle Hurts’ confidence past the point that he returns to what he was in 2016.

Recent rumors have emerged that former Alabama quarterbacks did not like the way Saban coached them. If there is any position that Alabama has had the most trouble keeping consistent over the last decade with Saban at the helm, it is quarterback.

Chances are that Hurts has a great season and improves himself to the point of being one of the best quarterbacks in college football. But don’t look past the possibility of him getting a shorter leash if he gets off to a cold start in 2017.

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