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Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa remains humble in spite of newfound celebrity status

USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg on the biggest risers, fallers and surprises from Week 5 in the top 25 of the Amway Coaches Poll. USA TODAY

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Make no mistake about it: Tua Tagovailoa is Alabama’s starting quarterback, and the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s Heisman Trophy.

But that doesn’t mean the he views himself any differently than he did a year ago when he was a backup until the second half of the College Football Playoff championship game.

During the team’s daily stretching period in the Monday practice following the Louisville season opener, when Tagovailoa officially won the starting job, junior Jalen Hurts – who had started the previous 28 games over the past two seasons – abdicated his usual place at the front of the quarterback line.