Jalen Hurts lost his starting job to Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama. We all know that.
We also know that Hurts has since transferred to Oklahoma and in the season opener on Sunday night he threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another 176 yards and three more scores.
Hurts is no slouch and his numbers from his time with the Crimson Tide – and now with the Sooners – prove it.
He lost the job at halftime of the national title game against Georgia, where Tagovailoa came in and led Alabama to victory. But during his time in Tuscaloosa, Hurts threw 48 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. He won almost every game. There was not much else anyone could have expected from him.
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After Tagovailoa was injured early in the fourth quarter of the SEC Championship Game last season, Hurts also came in and led the Crimson Tide to victory over Georgia. It was a role reversal from the national championship and it was a great credit to Hurts for delivering in a big spot.
Alabama made it back to the national title game last season but got routed by Clemson, 44-16, in one of the most shocking outcomes in recent memory. The Crimson Tide are back this season with Tagovailoa at quarterback and he’s surrounded by an incredible amount of skill players.
But Hurts is back, too, with a Sooners offense that might be the best in the country under coach Lincoln Riley. A storyline for the ages would be an Alabama-Oklahoma matchup in the College Football Playoff.
No one is questioning Tagovailoa’s worth or ability but we ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell if he thinks Alabama might end up regretting choosing Tagovailoa over Hurts in the end?
FARRELL'S TAKE
“No, no and no. Without making that change Alabama doesn’t win the national title against Georgia and I don’t think Hurts would have led them back to the title game last year. And let’s not forget, with Tua comes his little brother Taulia Tagovailoa so the quarterback position at Alabama is solidified for years to come.
"Hurts is off to a great start at Oklahoma and he did some great things at Alabama but there isn’t one second of one day that Nick Saban regrets how things went down. But I will say this — Hurts wants nothing more than to play against and beat Alabama in the playoff. Trust me on that one.”