Tua Tagovailoa injury update: Alabama quarterback expects to return vs. LSU

Tua Tagovailoa suffered a high-ankle sprain and will miss some time, but will the Alabama quarterback be back in time for the LSU game?

Late in the first half of their home game against the cross-divisional rival Tennessee Volunteers, Alabama Crimson Tide starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered an ankle injury and had to leave the game. His backup Mac Jones took over and will likely make the start next week vs. Arkansas.

The Heisman front-runner who battled nagging ankle injuries late last year suffered a high-ankle sprain that will keep him out for at least one game. The biggest question on the mind of Alabama football and college football fans is how long will Tua be out with the injury?

After Alabama’s win vs. Tennessee, Nick Saban told ESPN’s Molly McGrath he expects Tua to miss a week or two with a high-ankle sprain.

After leaving the stadium to go to a nearby hospital, Tagovailoa returned, albeit out of his uniform and ESPN reported on the broadcast he was clearly limping on his left leg. Nick Saban said at halftime his star quarterback had a twisted ankle but didn’t elaborate more, and likely didn’t know the extent at that point.

Alabama didn’t need him to beat Tennessee soundly for the 13th year in a row. The last time Tennessee won the Third Saturday in October and smoked some victory cigars, Tagovailoa was eight years old. Maybe he just wanted to be back there to celebrate with his teammates for owning Tennessee once again?

Tua won’t be needed to beat Arkansas and Jones doesn’t need to play like Tua for the Tide to run all over one of the worst Power 5 teams in the nation. But if Alabama is going to win the SEC and another national championship, Tua has to be close to 100 percent for LSU.

For now, Tua is optimistic he’ll be ready for what should be No. 1 vs. No. 2 in three weeks. After the game, Brett Hudson of Tuscaloosa News tweeted Tua was in the locker room saying he’ll be back for LSU.

After the certain victory over the atrocious Razorbacks, Alabama will be on a bye week, as they will have two weeks to get ready for undefeated rival LSU on Nov. 9. The hope for Alabama is Tagovailoa will be healthy in time for the SEC showdown vs. No. 2 LSU. And not just healthy enough to take the field, but healthy and playing like the best player in the country.

High-ankle sprains tend to linger but expect Tagovailoa to do everything humanly possible to be ready to play vs. Joe Burrow and LSU. It’s been a rough few days to be superstar quarterbacks after Patrick Mahomes suffered a dislocated knee on Thursday and Tagovailoa injures his ankle two days later.

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