SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is continuing treatment on his left ankle while preparing to face Clemson in the national title game, but there is no doubt within the program that he expects to play on Monday night.
"We're going to play him until the doctors tell us that he's not able to play," said offensive coordinator Mike Locksley. "We thought he had a really good week of preparation last week, and he's off to a good start to this week thus far."
Tagovailoa said he continues to wear a protective boot over the ankle he sprained against Georgia in the SEC title game, but he didn't have it on Saturday morning. He continues to receive stem-cell treatment on it.
"After the Oklahoma game, when the adrenaline kind of ran off, I could feel the muscles around the ankle," he said. "It was fatigued. I'd say that's the only time it was hurting."
Tagovailoa said it's less about the injury healing now and more of a focus on "trying to maintain the feeling of it feeling good," he told reporters at media day. "Just one more. After that, I can rest."