Watch Never-Before-Seen Video of Nick Saban Benching Jalen Hurts for Tua in CFP Title Game

As part of ESPN's Saban documentary series about Nick Saban's life and career, the network released never-before-seen footage of his decision to replace Jalen Hurts with Tua Tagovailoa in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Georgia on Jan. 8, 2018.

Saban explains in the clip he knew it "was the time" to make the change at halftime when Alabama was trailing 13-0 with Hurts having thrown for just 21 yards.

Hurts admits later in the clip that he "can't say that I was surprised" about the benching. His voice trails off and there is a long pause before it cuts back to Saban.

"He's a competitor," Saban says in a talking head segment about Hurts. "He wants to play. He wants to do well. No different than anybody else that ever played the sport. Nobody wants to be insignificant, but I didn't make that decision in two minutes. I made it in two minutes, but I thought about it for two months. You don't just make emotional decisions like, 'I'm really frustrated we're not moving the ball right now, so I'm gonna change quarterbacks.' No, it was calculated."

Hurts previously struggled in the regular-season finale against Auburn. He finished 12-of-22 for 112 yards and one touchdown in a 26-14 loss that kept Alabama out of the SEC Championship Game.

The Crimson Tide made the College Football Playoff as the final entrant in the No. 4 spot thanks largely to previously-undefeated Wisconsin losing to two-loss Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Hurts wasn't great in the semifinal against Clemson with 120 passing yards on 24 attempts, but Alabama's defense was dominant with just 188 yards allowed and two interceptions.

Tagovailoa, a 5-star recruit in the 2017 class, threw a total of 53 passes in eight appearances prior to the title game. He finished 14-of-24 for 166 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against Georgia.

Alabama scored on five of eight possessions with Tagovailoa at quarterback. He threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in overtime after Georgia settled for a field goal to give the Crimson Tide a 26-23 win.