TUSCALOOSA, Ala.– From high school senior to Alabama’s starting quarterback, Jalen Hurts has experienced a magical season. As he prepares his team for the College Football Playoff, the freshman was selected as one of five finalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award on Thursday– according to the SPORTyler, Inc.
After becoming the first freshman in school history to win Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and first in conference history to win SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year, Hurts is now a finalist for an award with much significance. The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award is presented to the nation’s top offensive player in NCAA Division I football with ties to the state of Texas. It is also awarded to athletes that exude excellence in integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity in overcoming adversity.
Hurts, a native of Channelview, Texas, has an undefeated Crimson Tide team with the No.1 overall seed in the playoff. He’s been responsible for 34 touchdowns, while totaling 2,592 passing yards and 841 rushing yards.
The 6-foot-2, 209-pounder is the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Alabama since Vince Sutton (1984), and first to both pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in a single game (Mississippi State, 2016).
Joining Hurts as finalists are: Patrick Mahomes II (quarterback, Texas Tech), Baker Mayfield (quarterback, Oklahoma), D’Onta Forman (running back, Texas) and Dede Westbrook (wide receiver, Oklahoma).
The winner will be announced at the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Banquet on January, 11. 2017.
***All information above comes via press release from UA’s athletic department of communication***
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 @Smsmith_TDALMag.
