Whenever a player makes the decision to transfer from the University of Alabama they immediately become for lack of a better word afterthoughts to the fans alike.
But Jalen Hurts is different.
The love displayed by Alabama fans for the current starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners is immense. Mainly because of the poise and maturity he displayed when he was replaced at halftime of the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship against Georgia.
In a recent interview with ESPN Hurts talked about getting benched for then freshman Tua Tagovailoa and how he handled it at the time.
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“You gotta win the game, one way or another,” a grinning Hurts said. “I’m always gonna be a team guy. Coach, he made the decision that he made and we’re national champions. I’ll be able to say that for the rest of my life.”
Thinking back on low moments like these, most athletes would look back on something like this perhaps with a bit of bitterness, regret or jealously. Always thinking about what they could have done differently or how badly they wished they could go back to that moment and make things different. Especially after winning SEC freshman of the year, taking you team to two national championships and having a 27-2 record as a starter.
But Jalen Hurts is different.
“That day made me who I am,” Hurts said. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
No such bitterness exists in Hurts. Acknowledging the uniqueness of his situation he took it upon himself to try and handle it just like the way he played at Alabama. With maturity and class. These traits proved dividends when Hurts entered the 2018 SEC Championship for and injured Tagovailoa where he led the historic comeback in the same building and the same team he was benched against.
Today Hurts one of the leaders in the Heisman Trophy race and is shown love from two top programs in the country. But even then, he shows no signs of being content.
“I’m the only person that’s walked in my shoes. I’m the only person that’s lived my journey,” Hurts said. “So I just try to be the best version of myself and hold myself to my standard.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
