He is no longer at the University of Alabama, but one can’t deny the loyalty that supporters of the Crimson Tide still have for Jalen Hurts.
He set records as a two-year starter (2016-17) at quarterback and was a vital member of two Southeastern Conference title teams and a College Football Playoff National Championship squad in 2017.
The native Texan replaced an injured Tua Tagovailoa in the second half of last year’s SEC Championship and led the team to a 35-28 comeback win over the University of Georgia.
While his leadership skills were remarkable on and off the field, playing behind Tagovailoa in 2018 may have made Hurts a more complete player for his new team.
He chose the graduate transfer route to Oklahoma and under head coach, Lincoln Riley, Hurts won the starting job before the Sooners’ matchup with Houston.
RELATED: Alabama 2020 NFL Draft projections
As a member of the Big 12, he is putting on a show against the Cougars. Oklahoma leads 42-17 in the fourth quarter, and Hurts has totaled 493 yards offensively (332 passing, 161 rushing) with six touchdowns.
He is being efficient and effective in Riley’s system, completing 20 of 23 pass attempts – 87 percent completion rate – and has more yards as an individual than Houston (273) as a whole.
Hurts, like Tagovailoa, is a preseason candidate for the Heisman Trophy and other national honors.
He is also in the mix to be a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and eyes an opportunity at being the first quarterback selected.
After showing major leadership at Alabama, Hurts looks like a leader and a complete threat at quarterback with crimson and crème.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
