TUSCALOOSA, Ala.| 11/15 passing. 120 yards. One touchdown.
This was all it took for 80,000 fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium and others watching from home to fantasize over the possibility of having a true freshman start at quarterback for Alabama.
If Jalen Hurts tanks in spring practice, not one iota of his name is mentioned in the quarterback competition. Due to his production on A-Day, summer workouts and fall practice, coach Nick Saban is considering either using him in a package or developing him to be starter week one.
Hurts, a native of Channelview, Texas, was a high four-star prospect and the No. 9-ranked dual threat signal-caller, according to 247Sports Composite upon enrolling in January. He emulated Clemson’s trigger puller Deshaun Watson for the 2016 national championship game and has posted some of the best numbers in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump and weight lifting.
Saban did not release any stats on quarterbacks after Saturday’s scrimmage, but according to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Hurts had the most impressive moments. Per multiple sources, the 6-foot-2, 212-pound quarterback accounted for a 50-yard touchdown run, a 50-yard touchdown pass to Robert Foster and leading the first-team offense on a strong drive, though it ended in an interception.
“Jalen is a very talented guy and I thought he did some really good things out there today,” Saban said after the scrimmage. “He’s done really good things each and every day in practice.”
Despite Saban stating that Alabama is “far from naming a starter,” Hurts is showing that he can run the offense.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
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