Alabama football coach Nick Saban told Jalen Hurts to transfer to Oklahoma, a piece of advice that might’ve ultimately helped the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback reach the Super Bowl.
After being benched for Tua Tagovailoa in the national championship game and the 2018 season, Jalen Hurts told Nick Saban that he wanted to transfer to either Maryland or Miami. The Alabama football coach pointed the quarterback to Oklahoma, where Hurts developed into a second-round draft pick.
Nick Saban stopped Jalen Hurts from transferring to Miami and Maryland😳pic.twitter.com/17vfN1lN04
— On3 (@On3sports) February 5, 2023
“I said, ‘You need to go to Oklahoma,’” Saban told the 33rd Team. “‘They got the best coach to develop you as a quarterback, and you’re gonna be around the best players, so that’s gonna enhance your chances of having success.’”
Saban’s words proved prophetic. Hurts was the 2019 Heisman Trophy runner-up in his only season with Oklahoma. Under the tutelage of Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley, Hurts completed 69.7% of his passes for 3,851 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
In two seasons as Alabama’s starting quarterback, Hurts never had more than 2,780 passing yards or 23 passing touchdowns. Hurts also rushed for a career-high 1,298 yards at Oklahoma. With Alabama, Hurts topped out at 954 yards on the ground.
Hurts led Alabama to back-to-back national championship games as the Crimson Tide's starter for the 2016 and 2017 college football seasons. Alabama came up short against Clemson when Hurts was a true freshman. In Hurts' sophomore year, the Crimson Tide beat Georgia in the national title game after Tagovailoa took over.
Hurts and Oklahoma reached the 2019-2020 College Football Playoffs. Saban and Alabama missed the playoffs for the first time since the CFP was introduced in 2014.
“He had a great year,” Saban said. “I was worried about having to play him in the playoffs. And I can’t tell you how proud I am of seeing this guy in the Super Bowl.”
The Eagles selected Hurts with the No. 53 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Hurts replaced Carson Wentz as the Eagles starting quarterback for the final month of his rookie season.
Two years later, Hurts is an NFL MVP finalist and the starter for the Super Bowl favorites.
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