Whether or not Alabama can “claim” Jalen Hurts has been a hot topic of discussion across the past few days, ramped up by Hurts leading the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl Sunday night.
Hurts is having an MVP type season in the NFL after being drafted out of Oklahoma in 2020. Hurts played just 1 season in Norman, with the other 3 coming in an Alabama uniform. Of course, Hurts was famously replaced at halftime of the 2018 College Football Playoff Title game for Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama. The Crimson Tide ended up winning over Georgia and Hurts transferred to Oklahoma for his final season in college the following year.
So can Alabama truly claim Hurts considering he played his final, and perhaps best season at Oklahoma? FOX analyst Joel Klatt weighed in on the matter Monday afternoon.
“The only reason Jalen Hurts is who he is now is because he had the ability to transfer,” Klatt said. “That’s why I think it’s somewhat comical Alabama is claiming Jalen Hurts. Listen, I get it and I’m sure he has a big place in his heart for Alabama, but he had to leave.”
You can see Klatt’s full comments below.
Does Klatt have a point or is he off base?
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Making the transition from College to Pro Ball is a challenge for most players. The transfer portal has been very useful for a lot of players to be exposed to different systems and different coaches. In Jalen's case, I don't think the transfer to OK made him better, but it sure speeded up his transition to the pros.
Hurts is, was, and always will be a Gump. He loves Bama and consistently talks about his time playing for Saban. He may have improved his passing abilities under Riley but his leadership, character, and approach to playing the game was built while playing at Bama under Saban.
Exactly. Hurt's own words after the game.
I think character may be a stretch. I have always respected Hurts character, but from my view of him he's responsible for that. This is not a knock on bama, but a compliment to this young man.
The season Hurts rode the bench backing up Tua was the season Hurts became a QB. When Hurts came in for Tua in the 2018 SECCG he was light years ahead of where he was when Saban pulled Hurts the year before in the NC game.
Whoever worked with Hurts that year (Cristbol?) should get the credit for Hurts making the NFL.
Interesting and valid point. I believe it may have been Dan Enos, if memory serves me correctly.
It was Dan Enos, his only season at Bama.
Nope...OU and LSU deserve the credit for those guys' development, not where they transferred from.
Burrow at OSU is different… Hurts won a NC as Bama starting QB…
Umm... no he didn't.
Yes… he did… Hurts was the starting QB when Tua came off the bench for 2/26….
Hurts started that season..
Man, you guys really will find any excuse to claim any kind of bulls--t that y'all want to believe, won't you?
Hurts didn't win y'all that title. He was going to lose y'all that title. Tua won it.
Good Lord, dude.
LMAO.. Hurts was the starting QB just like I said… There is also more than one game that gets played during a season…
What’s funny is your attempt to justify your dumb@&& comment which was just wrong…
Keyboard warrior troll
He sure did. He was also 26-2 as a starter, won SEC offensive player of the year, won SEC freshman of the year, and won two SEC championships.
When people use Burrow as a comparison to Hurts' situation, I stop listening, because they are not one in the same. Their transfer situations weren't even remotely close.
Joe Burrow said last weekend, “Im a buckeye”.
Jalen Hurts corrected a reporter after the game 2 weeks ago when the reporter mentioned Oklahoma. He said, “I went to Bama too and they’re pretty well represented”
But yeah, makes sense that the guy on the forum decides for them.
He staid a year as a backup to graduate from U of A. Did he get a degree from Oklahoma? He played at Bama for 3 years, and graduated, he played one at Oklahoma and didn't.
Welp, the Gumps claim about 7 national titles that they didn't actually win, so this is just par for the course for them.
Their inflated sense of self-worth is rivaled only by their deflated 3rd grade reading levels.
Well Dumb@$$ just go to the NCAA site and pick out the ones you like best. They have several that they give credit for that Bama doesn't claim.
The NCAA has absolutely nothing to do with CFB National Titles. They never have, and they never will.
And your last line is a hilarious lie. There is no National Title out there that the Gumps can claim that they haven't.
1966 comes to mind. I have no idea why Bama claims 1941 but not 1966.
The NCAA recognizes national championships. They list the ones that they recognize on their website. They recognize more than Bama claims. You are just a dumb@$$ that says things for effect, not because of any truth.
Alabama does not claim 1966 because they did not win it in any recognized poll.
So does TN get to claim Henry To'o To'o (not that we want to)? He improved his skills at TN enough that Bama wanted to get him through the portal. He won as many National Championships at Bama as he did TN. Does Bama claim Jeremy Pruitt? He coached in that state and at Bama more than he did any other place. Do you claim him as the defensive coordinator that helped win a NC but don't claim the cheating coach when he was at UT? Do you claim Alvin Kamara? What is the criteria? I'm legit curious. Can't have it both ways.
You can claim whoever you want. Bama claims Hurts because Hurts claims Bama. It's really that simple.
Hurts is also a NC winning QB with Bama and he graduated from Bama….
Well of course Bama claims Pruitt as the DC to help them when a NC… Why wouldn’t they when he was the coach at the time?
Also why would Bama claim him as the HC of the Vols? He still won a Nc as the DC for Bama and that’s what Bama would claim him for..
You really seem to have no point in all that..
Win*
What about now while he is just a stain to college football and doesn’t have a home? Do you claim him now? I’m not seeing anybody claiming Ruggs here lately either.
You sure seem lost in all this... Pruitt will always be the DC that won a NC at Bama. His cheating at the vols doesn't change that..
Ruggs mistakes doesn't erase his time at Bama either...
You're reaching and falling short...
Did Henry graduate from UT? Did Kamara graduate from Bama?
This is my point. Right here. Hurts finished out at Oklahoma. Kamara finished out at TN. Why claim one but not the other?
So you really have no point? Hurts graduated from Bama.. Kamara did not.
Hurts also was a starter and led his team to a NC. Kamara was not..
Those circumstances aren't the same... It's clear now you have no point though.
Claiming folks like you claim titles. It’s cool though. You do you homie.
Makes Bama fans look somewhat silly to other fan bases because of this whole thing. It’s just as ridiculous hearing it on ESPN.
Just as I said.. You have no point. He graduated from Alabama.
He claims Alabama.
The fact you're still trying with your ignorant take is really only making you look silly...
You are no different than Ohio State fans claiming Burrow. No difference. Make whatever argument you want about graduation and NC, but you're the same. I'd like to hear your stance on who claims who when they transfer but leave prior to graduation. Go ahead. I'll wait.
Bama tossed him to the side and when it looked like Tua was the second coming of Chr!$t. He got the hint and left.
Hurts is all Bama and always has been. He claims Bama just as Bama fans claim him. I have no idea why that bothers you so much.
As a Bama fan, Hurts is one of my all time favorite Tide players. Is that not allowed? Are you telling me who I can or can't claim as one of my all time favorite Tide players?
At the end of the day hurts claims Bama.. He has a NC with Bama and graduated from Bama.
Your opinion of the topic doesn’t change anything… At best It does make you look like a pompous @$& that is really concerned about how Bama fans feel about an Alabama alumni…
Alumnus *
My opinion is a valid as yours Bamatime. It looks like you've planted your flag on graduation and NC means you can claim said player. That's fine if that's your opinion. Doesn't make it right. Doesn't make it wrong. Now, you can go sit your self righteous self down.
Also, had he not got shunned to the bench, Bama would have won a NC the following year. He was always better than Tua.
I've had fun aggravating the absolute p!$$ out of you all day. Did you have a good time?
Well, Bama didn't think Hurts was good enough because of his passing ability and after one year at Oklahoma, he was a Heisman finalist because of his passing ability.
Does anyone really care about this? If so why?
The trolls care, no credit or anything positive is supposed to happen at Alabama, they have no class or sportsmanship, they make their whole fan base look bad a simple article and the keyword warrior trolls begin
Who is "Joel Klatt"? I get it, insulting the largest fan base will increase the clicks on your dumb "take" about Hurts. But there's no doubt who HE claims, and that's Bama. Sure he played at OU but he is Bama Built. Cheesy but accurate for this Klatt trap