Jalen Hurts took the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs in 2021 as a first-year starter.
He encountered some highs and lows, but the Eagles finished at 9-8 and he turned in good numbers.
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Hurts totaled 3,144 passing yards, 784 rushing yards, and 26 touchdowns. His “Rent is Due” mentality has endeared him to his teammates, and the Philadelphia community believes it has a winner in Hurts. He’s used his platform to address gun violence issues, but Hurts has also been improving his game as a passer. As a former College Football Playoff National Champion, he has turned in a tremendous offseason with DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown. All three players have a connection on offense, and the Eagles have a chance to be dangerous in the National Football League. According to a report from ESPN’s Tim McManus, Eagles’ head coach Nick Sirianni has noticed a big difference in Hurts’ game. He highlighted “crisper balls” and “good accuracy” in camp.
“You can just see him taking strides every single day with his accuracy because of the fundamentals he has with his feet and his upper body,” Sirianni said about Hurts via ESPN.
Per the report, Hurts took some of the offseason to work with quarterback trainers in Southern California. His goal was to improve his footwork and release, and Philadelphia’s offensive coaching staff sees it. Hurts is also in the same offensive system for multiple years since high school. He was coached by his father, Averion Hurts Sr., at Channelview High School. He had three offensive coordinators at the University of Alabama in Lane Kiffin (2016), Brian Daboll (2017), and Michael Locksley (2018).
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Lincoln Riley provided stability in his lone year at Oklahoma in 2019.
Hurts has much confidence going into his third pro season. He is in an offense he knows how to operate. After performing well in OTAs, he is ready to light it up in training camp. Hurts is prepared to take a huge jump as he continues to work.
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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.
