-
Tim McManus
-
Marcel Louis-Jacques
Close
Marcel Louis-Jacques
ESPN
- Marcel Louis-Jacques joined ESPN in 2019 as a beat reporter covering the Buffalo Bills, before switching to the Miami Dolphins in 2021. The former Carolina Panthers beat writer for the Charlotte Observer won the APSE award for breaking news and the South Carolina Press Association award for enterprise writing in 2018.
ALABAMA’S NICK SABAN huddled his staff inside the visiting coaches locker room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during halftime of the 2018 College Football Playoff championship game and dropped a loaded question in tight quarters.
“What do we need to get going on offense?”
Quarterback Jalen Hurts, the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year, had been a force since arriving on campus, guiding the Tide to a 26-2 record and back-to-back title game appearances as the starter.
But Alabama had been shut out in the first half against Georgia and trailed 13-0. Waiting in the wings was freshman phenom Tua Tagovailoa, whose precision passing stirred excitement throughout the season. After conferring with his staff, Saban sought out the quarterbacks to announce his decision.
“The consensus was, ‘Hey, let’s give the other kid a shot,'” said Mike Locksley, former Alabama offensive coordinator and current head coach at Maryland.
Word that Tagovailoa would start the second half didn’t reach some of their teammates until the offense took the field, and the switch surprised many of the players and coaches.
The decision sparked a chain reaction that…
