Nick Saban Reveals The Direct Advice He Gave Jalen Hurts When The QB Left Alabama
Nick Saban had some very simple advice for Jalen Hurts when the QB decided to leave the Crimson Tide.
The dual-threat QB spent the first three years of his college career playing for Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, but after losing his job to future first round pick Tua Tagovailoa, Hurts ended up transferring to Oklahoma.
Saban's advice for him when he was deciding between Oklahoma, Miami and Maryland was incredibly simple.
"Who's got the best players on offense?' He said Oklahoma, and I said, 'That's where you need to go.' ... And hell, I told him to do it knowing that we might have to play against him," the seven-time national champion explained.
Jalen Hurts balled out after transferring to Oklahoma.
Saban's advice for Hurts worked out incredibly well because the talented passer put up monster numbers during his one season in Norman.
He threw for 3,851 yards, 32 touchdowns, rushed for 1,298 yards and tacked on an additional 20 touchdowns on the ground.
Jalens Hurts' gaudy production for Lincoln Riley and the Sooners resulted in the Philadelphia Eagles making him a second round pick.
Since then, Hurts has carved out a nice spot in the NFL as the starting QB in Philly. So far in 2022, he has 1,120 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. On the ground, he has 205 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns for the 4-0 Eagles.
If he ended up at Maryland or Miami, who knows if he ever elevates his draft stock enough to land where he did.
Saban is a straight shooter. That's just a fact. The Alabama coach telling Jalen Hurts to go wherever the best weapons were was a great thing for him to do. Clearly, it worked out for Hurts in a major way.