TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Tua Tagovailoa and his younger brother, Taulia, didn’t waste time when Alabama returned to the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility after its season-opening win over Duke.

The brothers lifted weights mere hours after the Crimson Tide defeated the Blue Devils, 42-3.

Alabama’s starting quarterback also worked out with the team Sunday and Monday, which led to his throwing arm feeling fatigued during Tuesday’s practice of New Mexico State week. This is exactly why coach Nick Saban has tried explaining to Tagovailoa that “sometimes less is more.”

“Coach Saban ended up talking to me on Wednesday, after Wednesday’s practice, and he kind of told me, ‘When did my arm start hurting?’” Tagovailoa said Monday. “That was the only game we’ve played, so I explained to him what I did after the game, and Coach Saban told me that’s not the way to go about things, this is how we should go about things. It’ll only lead to, you know, something not good. That’s why we have this set up the way it is.”

After taking his coach’s advice into consideration, Tagovailoa still worked out after the NMSU game, but he said he resorted to “more cardio” instead of lifts. He also worked out with the team on Sunday and would go on to participate in a lift following Monday afternoon’s interviews.

Despite continuing to lift, Tagovailoa said his shoulder feels fine now.

But Saban and company know it will be difficult to get the Heisman runner-up to rest. The head coach said as much last week when asked about Taulia Tagovailoa during his call-in radio show.

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa

“I think that Tua came in with a very high maturity sort of physically and emotionally, in terms of how he developed and how he improved and how he could stay focused on what he was supposed to do,” Saban said Thursday. “And I think that’s why he developed so quickly here as a play.

“I think Taulia has a lot of ability, and certainly, we want to try to develop him the same kind of way. And I think they both have a lot of capabilities and a lot of potential. Tua’s obviously sort of fulfilled a lot of that, and I’m sure he’s not satisfied with where he is and works hard every day.

“Sometimes too hard. The guy works out like crazy, and we’re trying to say, ‘Sometimes less is more. You can do too much.’ And that’s Tua’s sort of mentality.”

Tagovailoa has been a player on a mission all offseason long.

At SEC Media Days, a leaner Tagovailoa was obsessing over his step count as he tried to get into shape ahead of preseason camp. For a player that is the face of a team that fell one game short of a national championship and a perfect season, this approach shouldn’t come as a surprise.

“I think it’s just wanting what we couldn’t get last year, that’s all it is,” Tagovailoa said. “We were so close to getting a national championship. You throw everything else away, it’s right there and you can’t get it. We want it and we want it bad, so we’re going to do everything we can to try to get it.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

*** Take advantage of 30% OFF our Annual VIP Pass for the first year ***