Hurts took over after the starter struggled in the first game. He's never been expected to be a great passer.

Magnum took over after the starter got hurt and had a freshman of the year performance.

The question about why Taysom started and continued to play after he struggled will never be answered completely.

Could Mangum have excelled at Bama with their supporting cast?? Absolutely....he's a much better passer than Hurts based on actual performance.