In last month's Orange Bowl, Alabama backup quarterback Jalen Hurts had one run, one pass and one catch during the 45-34 victory over Oklahoma.
Now, he's going from playing against the Sooners to playing for them.
Hurts announced Wednesday that he will play his final collegiate season as a graduate transfer at the Big 12 power. The past two Oklahoma quarterbacks under head coach Lincoln Riley's guidance have won the Heisman Trophy, with Baker Mayfield claiming college football's top individual honor in 2017 and Kyler Murray doing so this past season.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts picks up yardage during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship game against Georgia on Dec. 1, 2018, in Atlanta.Mayfield transferred to Oklahoma from Texas Tech, while Murray joined the Sooners after beginning his college career at Texas A&M.
"To my about-to-be family in Norman, I truly appreciate you for bringing me on board," Hurts wrote on The Players' Tribune website. "Y'all don't know me yet, but for now, to introduce myself - I'm a motivated coach's son from the east side of Houston, and I love to play ball.
"And to my Bama family, once again, THANK YOU for everything. It's been a great three years. I'll love you until the end of time!"
Hurts had his name submitted into the NCAA transfer portal last week, which allowed other schools to contact him. He visited Oklahoma this past weekend along with Maryland and Miami, which had connections with Hurts through two Crimson Tide assistant coaches this past season - new Maryland head coach Mike Locksley and new Miami offensive coordinator Dan Enos.
The 6-foot-2, 218-pounder finishes his Alabama career with sparkling numbers, having completed 445 of 707 passes (62.9 percent) for 5,626 yards with 48 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also rushed 381 times for 1,976 yards and 23 scores, averaging a robust 5.2 yards per carry.
Arriving at Alabama in January 2016 as the fourth-string quarterback, Hurts blew past David Cornwell, Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett to snag the starting role by the end of the season-opening 52-6 smothering of Southern California. He was named Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year as a freshman, when he guided the Tide to a 14-0 record before a 35-31 loss to Clemson in the championship game of the College Football Playoff.
Hurts had a 17-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio as a sophomore in 2017, but he struggled during the first half of the CFP title game against Georgia. He was replaced at halftime by Tua Tagovailoa, who rallied Alabama from a 13-0 deficit to a 26-23 overtime triumph.
Tagovailoa was the wire-to-wire starter this past season but was forced out of the SEC title game against Georgia due to injury. Hurts entered early in the fourth quarter with the Tide trailing 28-21 and led them to a 35-28 triumph, completing seven of nine passes and scampering 15 yards for the deciding score with 1:04 remaining.
"I told him, 'This is your time,' and he took advantage of it," Alabama coach Nick Saban said after the SEC championship game. "I've probably never been more proud of a player than Jalen."
Hurts graduated last month with a degree in public relations, and his shining effort against Georgia in the league championship may wind up overshadowing the fact he was 26-2 as a starter at Alabama.
"People always want to talk to me about last month's SEC championship game," Hurts wrote. "They come up to me and say that it inspired them and that they were rooting like crazy for me. They tell me how it was like a movie, or that they've got to make a '30-for-30' now.
"I just tell them, 'That 30-for-30? You can bet on it. Only not any time soon.' This story of mine is just getting started. There are movie moments still to come."
The absence of Hurts will leave Alabama with four scholarship quarterbacks for the 2019 season - junior Tua Tagovailoa, redshirt sophomore Mac Jones, and early enrollees Taulia Tagovailoa and Paul Tyson. Taulia is Tua's younger brother, while Tyson is the great grandson of Paul "Bear" Bryant.
Lupoi leaving
Alabama defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who led Saban's assistants this past season in longevity at four years with the Tide, is leaving to take a position on the defensive staff of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. Lupoi worked with Alabama's outside linebackers for three years before adding the coordinator title this past season.
The Tide ranked 16th nationally in total defense (allowing an average of 319.5 yards per game) and 12th in points allowed (18.1) in Tupoi's one season as coordinator, with those averages hurt by the closing gauntlet of Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson. Alabama allowed a combined 1,407 yards in those three contests.
Lupoi has been among the top recruiters on Alabama's staff, serving as the primary recruiter for the Tagovailoa brothers, running back Najee Harris, receiver Jaylen Waddle and inside linebacker Dylan Moses.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.