It happened. You knew it was going to at some point this year.

Let me correct that. At some point, I hoped* it was going to happen this year.

Nick Saban used Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts on the field at the same time Saturday against Arkansas.

It was a play off my idea for the opening snap of 2018, which would’ve had Mac Jones in shotgun formation with Hurts and Tagovailoa on each side. Whoever he gave the handoff to would be Alabama’s quarterback.

But now that we’ve got a small sampling of seeing Hurts and Tagovailoa together, of course we want more. Saban suggested that we could be in for more 2-quarterback formations.

“We had a few more things that we were going to do out of it, but we didn’t do it. That’s the way the game went,” Saban said via 247sports. “But I think because of these two guys’ skill set, it could present some problems for defensive teams. That’s why we’re doing it.”

So let me dial up some plays for Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley to use his new 2-quarterback formation:

1. The Dan Mullen Special(s)

Each of the past 2 weeks, the Florida coach turned to pass catchers to throw passes deep in opposing territory. Both worked.

In both scenarios, I’d probably have Tagovailoa at quarterback. The entire defense would know when Hurts steps on to the field.

But in the play Mullen used against Mississippi State, you’d have Tagovailoa make the pass to Hurts behind the line of scrimmage. You know the defense would want to jump at him. All it would take would be Irv Smith Jr. getting a step to the corner and the result is an easy 6 points.

And on that second play, Hurts could line up in more of a wingback type of role and take the handoff like Lucas Kroll did from Feleipe Franks. That would create the ultimate scenario — a Hurts to Tagovailoa pass.

I’m pretty sure that would break the internet.

2. Philly Special

The thing that’s so great about the Philly Special is that it’s like a backyard version of the Wildcat. It’s like if the Wildcat had a cool cousin who had a mansion with an indoor basketball court.

Sorry, enough house fantasizing. Back to football fantasizing.

The play that was made famous in the Super Bowl by the Eagles could definitely run during any meaningless second-half snap that Alabama plays this year. Tagovailoa would be the main quarterback (Nick Foles) calling “kill, kill, kill!” Damien Harris could play the part of the wildcat back (Corey Clement) while Hurts gets the reverse (former Florida great Trey Burton) and tosses it Tagovailoa in the flat for the touchdown.

Oh, and another other request. I know Saban isn’t big on access and availability with his quarterbacks, but getting Hurts and Tagovailoa mic’d up for this like Foles was would be legendary (via Philadelphia Eagles):

Can you imagine how viral that clip would go if it worked? Saban would have every quarterback recruit in America jumping at the chance to play in Tuscaloosa, unlike last year when he didn’t sign a quarterback.

3. Fake pop pass/wheel route to Hurts … with a twist

I’m like Bobby Petrino. Not the motorcycle/neck brace stuff. The wheel route stuff.

I love, love, love a good wheel route out of the backfield. That and the pop pass are quickly becoming my favorite plays in football, so why not combine them?

This play might take a bit to develop, but stick with me on it. We already know that Alabama isn’t shy when it comes to running the pop pass. Tagovailoa did it to get that long touchdown “pass” in the second half against Texas A&M. With that already on tape, Alabama could line Hurts up and fake the pop pass. Hurts then nearly comes to a full stop after not receiving the pop pass, making him look like he’s out of the play.

But wait. There’s more.

Hurts is actually not out of the play. In fact, he turns on the jets with a wheel route on the right side. With Tagovailoa looking off the safety, he turns back to his right to find a streaking Hurts behind the defense on the sideline. Six. Points.

Now obviously a play like that has a much better chance working against man coverage. It all depends on Hurts’ ability to lull the defense to sleep after his pop pass play-action fake. If he can catch his man napping and the line gives Tagovailoa solid pass protection, it could work like a charm.

The “I told you Hurts should’ve switched to receiver” comments would be everywhere. That play would go even more viral than …

Too soon?

4. Fake field goal attempt pass

OK, so we’re all thinking it. Not running a fake with Tagovailoa as Alabama’s holder is a crime, and especially with how horrific the Tide’s kicking game is. This is long overdue.

So here’s how you run it. Hurts isn’t sneaking on to the field, and everyone will know something is up if he lines up as an outside blocker. You start trotting him out there once a game, just to see how the defense reacts. Once you get a few games of showing that look, the defense forgets that on the opposite side of Hurts is Smith.

Then, the fake is on. Hurts and Smith both peel off, but it’s Smith who’s the primary target as he slips past the blitzing defensive end. Tagovailoa dumps it off to Smith, who trots in for the score.

Alabama celebrates the first time that something positive happened when it was lined up in a field goal formation.

5. A good, old-fashioned triple option

A backfield of Tagovailoa, Hurts and Harris would be enough to make Alabama fans swoon for weeks. If Tagovailoa faked the handoff to Harris and kept it with the option to pitch it to Hurts, I can’t imagine how electric Bryant-Denny Stadium would be. Those fans would be on their feet like they probably haven’t been in years.

I’m sure Saban isn’t big on the idea of Tagovailoa taking a huge hit in this scenario, so he could pretty much force him to pitch it to Hurts. Do they have any experience running that kind of a play? Not that I can recall.

But a play like this would kill two birds with one stone, especially if Saban rolled it out early in the fourth quarter. Not only would he get it on film and make future opponents study something so small and irrelevant, he would also keep fan/student section interest high late in the game.

Is it dangerous to run a triple option just for kicks? Of course. Ask Paul Johnson about that. But hey, Alabama is blessed with the best quarterback room in America.

It’s about time Saban started using his signal-callers on the field together.