There isn’t a player in the Senior Bowl who inspires football fans quite like quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That’s why Jim Nagy, the director of Mobile’s annual exhibition game, presented Hurts with a helmet on Monday that featured an Alabama logo on one side, and an Oklahoma logo on the other. Nagy is just a big ol’ Jalen Hurts fan like the rest of us. Another two-sided helmet will be auctioned off for the charity Special Spectators, which gives VIP game-day experiences to seriously ill children.
The helmet was a nice touch by Nagy and the Senior Bowl, and also a clever way to boost local interest in the game. Hurts, who is expected to wear an Oklahoma helmet in the Senior Bowl, starred at Alabama for the majority of his college career and graduated from UA. He then played for Oklahoma as a graduate transfer, led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff and finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy.
Hurts played in four consecutive College Football Playoffs. Who wouldn’t want to watch him one more time before the NFL Draft? I’m guessing he’ll receive at least one standing ovation inside Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Saturday (1:30 p.m.).
Can Hurts thrive as a quarterback in the NFL? Does he have the skill set to be a starter in the league? NFL scouts, coaches and other talent evaluators will try to project that this week. Considering Hurts’ popularity, it will be one of the biggest questions during the Senior Bowl.
I’m just happy to watch him one more time, and salute a player who always has represented what’s best about sports: togetherness.
He was a team-first All-American for Alabama, which made him one of the more popular players in recent college football history.
Alabama fans traveled to Oklahoma to watch his first game for the Sooners, and they’ll show up on Saturday to cheer him on in the Senior Bowl. Hurts is appreciated by more than just fans who wear crimson, though. His reputation is so strong that rival fans of Alabama and Oklahoma admire him for everything he accomplished at the collegiate level.
After Oklahoma’s loss in the Peach Bowl, LSU players lined up one by one to shake his hand. There isn’t another college player since Tim Tebow who has commanded so much respect for his character.
What exactly makes Hurts’ story so inspiring? He appeals to the human condition.
His on-field accomplishments are impressive, but people love him for something else. Hurts represents loyalty and sacrifice. Those ideals transcend sports, and speak to something more important.
Hurts is universally beloved because of how he responded to failure. Think about that. He inspired people through personal failure. That’s a rare thing, and why people are so moved by his story.
It is easy to lead people in victory. To lead people through loss resonates on a different level. It makes him the ultimate winner.
Make no mistake, Hurts was angry after losing the starting quarterback job to Tua Tagovailoa. Anyone would be. He was 26-2 as a starter for Alabama. Instead of transferring before his junior season — as many speculated he would — Hurts stayed at Alabama and became a leader off the bench.
He picked up fans along the way.
When Alabama needed him most, Hurts led the Crimson Tide to a comeback victory in the 2018 SEC championship game. That moment solidified him as a college football legend. That experience has now prepared him for life beyond the sport.
We never got to see Jalen vs. Tua in the College Football Playoff, but perhaps we’ll get that chance one day in the NFL.
Leading up to the draft, there will be plenty of questions about Hurts’ ability to succeed as a passer in the NFL, but no one should be questioning his value as a professional football player. He’s going to make a team better no matter what, and that’s the mark of a true leader.
Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group. He’s on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr.
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January 22, 2020 at 07:58PM
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What makes Jalen Hurts so popular? - AL.com
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