Tua Tagovailoa Named Winner of the 2019 Bobby Bowden Award

The Bobby Bowden Award recognizes the Division I player who epitomizes a student-athlete from a faith perspective

T.G. Paschal/BamaCentral

ORLANDO, Fla. – Alabama football’s junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was named the winner of the 2019 Bobby Bowden Award on Monday.

The Bobby Bowden award recognizes the Division I player who epitomizes a student-athlete from a faith perspective. 

Per the press release, the winner "must conduct himself as an exemplary model in the classroom, on the field, on the campus and in the community."

"He's a fantastic human," offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said Sunday. "And forget just No. 13 on the field. It's who he is off the field that I think is probably more impressive."

The award is named after former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden.

Tagovailoa completed 71.4 percent of his passes on 180-of-252 attempts, a percentage that was sixth in the country when he suffered a season-ending hip injury at Mississippi State. 

Overall, he threw for 2,840 yards, with 33 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. 

Tagovailoa finished his junior season as the Crimson Tide’s career touchdown responsibility leader with 96 (87 passing, nine rushing), topping the Alabama career passing touchdowns list with 87, and was third in career passing yards with 7,442.

Despite his injury, Tagovailoa has traveled with the team to the Citrus Bowl, where Alabama will play Michigan on Wednesday (noon CT, ABC).