TAMPA, Fla.– Jalen Hurts may be the new kid on the block at Alabama, but the 6-2, 210 pound quarterback from Channelview, Tex. has chance to enhance the Tide’s rich history Monday when undefeated 14-0 SEC champion Alabama plays ACC champion Clemson (13-1) in a rematch of last year’s College Football Playoff championship game Clemson at Raymond James Stadium.
Hurts, who is the first freshman to start at quarterback for Nick Saban, has a chance to become the first true freshman since Jamelle Holloway of Oklahoma 31 years ago to lead his team to a national championship. He has already had a groundbreaking season, passing for 2,649 yards and 22 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He also rushed for 899 yards and 12 touchdowns, breaking the school record for rushing yards by a quarterback and was selected the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Hurts defined himself and this team against Ole Miss when Bama rallied from a 24-7 deficit on the road to outscore the Rebels, 41-17, in the final 30 minutes of a 48-43 victory.
Hurt is not an elite down field passer yet, but he has undisputed talent. He enrolled at ‘Bama last January as one of the top dual-threat quarterback prospects in the country. After offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin worked Hurts out in high school, the Tide’s then-offensive coordinator told Saban that Hurts could be a future first-round draft pick. But it was Hurts’ uncanny poise that has impressed his teammates and rival coaches, allowing an 18-year-old to lead Alabama to the cusp of its fifth national championship in eight seasons.
“That’s just the demeanor I have,” Hurts said. “I know I was the same in high school.”
His father, who coached him at Channelview, made sure of it.
Averion Hurts was tough on his son, and his critiques would continue after film sessions, on the drive home in their red pickup. Hurts bought into it. By the time he arrived in Tuscaloosa, he was ready for someone to take over his dad’s role — even if that someone was Saban, one of the most demanding coaches in college football.
“I came to college knowing I’ve been coached — my daddy coached me,” he said. “So Coach Saban chewing me out or being blunt with me, it’s like, ‘Okay, I’m going to take it and go.'”
Hurts was hit with an unexpected challenge this week when Saban, ever the perfectionist, unexpectedly changing offensive coordinators, relieving Kiffin — who had a lot to do with Hurt’s development– of his duties two days after the Tide’s seemingly stagnant offense scored just 17 points during a 24-7 victory over Pac-12 champion Washington last Saturday in the CFP semi-finals at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
Saban replaced Kiffin, who has already accepted the head coaching job at FAU, with Steve Sarkisian, the former Washington and USC head coach who was let go at Troy five games into the 2015 season and subsequently sought treatment for alcohol abuse issues.
Sarkisian was planning to spend this season out of coaching and accepted a job with Fox Sports to be part of their college football coverage. He never worked any games for FS1, instead taking the job with Alabama as a behind the scenes analyst a week after the Tide’s season-opening win over USC, breaking down film and helping with the game plan. Sarkisian couldn’t do any coaching in practice and he quickly found how much he missed being a coach.
He was originally scheduled to become the Tide’s offensive coordinator next fall. “He was the first one to tell me and I was like, ‘OK, well, let’s do it,’” Hurts said. “When he got the job for next year, I told him congratulations and I’m looking forward to working with you. But it just turns out to be that that came a little earlier.
“It was kind of weird. It’s was kind of a sudden change for me because it’s like, you’ve been getting coached by this guy all year and it’s a sudden change coming into the biggest game of the season. So it’s really different, but I think we feel good about the situation we’re in and we all think he (Sarkisian) will do a great job.”
In some ways, switching coordinators at the last minute is a huge gamble against Clemson’s intimidating defensive front, which can make life miserable for any quarterback, but one Saban was willing to make under the circumstances. Hurts is coming off his worst game of the season against the Huskies, completing just 7 of 14 passes for 57 yards. and Kiffin took a lot of heat from Alabama fans for his play calling and Saban felt a new voice might be beneficial.
Sarkisian has not been a primary play caller since USC’s 2014 Holiday Bowl victory over Nebraska. If Alabama’s offense surges against the Tigers, Saban will look like the second coming of Bear Bryant. If things go sour, the decision will prompt second guessing among Tide fans, who have grown to expect a case filled with national championship trophies.
At this point, it is too late to do a complete overall of the game plan. But, at least, the move gives Saban’s staff the benefit of Sarkisian having prior experience coaching with Kiffin when they spent time together at USC. .
“Even this season I’ve been on the headset. I’ve heard the rhythm of the offense, how the substitution patterns go, those types of things,” Sarkisian said. “I really feel like there’s going to be some moments. I’m not naïve to think we’re not going to have a couple glitches. But like I said, how we respond to those glitches is going to be key.”
Sarkisian had limited interaction with Hurts before this week. “I just kind of observed from afar, got a read on his demeanor, what he was about, then tried to play to his strengths as I came into the role. I need him to be him. I think Jalen has amazing composure for a young player. I was watching the USC game on TV when he fumbles the ball and come right back in and lead them to a touchdown the next drive. I think that speaks for himself.”
The Tide won, 52-6 and a star was born.
According to wide receiver and Hurt’s roommate Calvin Ridley, Hurts has already has quickly shown a preference for Sarkisian over Kiffin. “He told me that he likes coach Sarkisian,” Ridley said on media day. “He says he’s getting a lot of new things that can help him. He’s watching a lot more film, breaking things more down to him. I guess he likes the coaching better.”
Sarkisian who watched the Tide’s victory over Washington from he press box, plans on being on the sidelines for this game to make it easier for him to communicate with Hurts. “I’ve always called plays from the sidelines,” he said.” I think it’s important to have one on one contact with Jalen on the field, see his demeanor really talk through things.”
Both are excited to enter a brave new world.
Dick Weiss is a sportswriter and columnist who has covered college football and college and professional basketball for the Philadelphia Daily News and the New York Daily News. He has received the Curt Gowdy Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and is a member of the national Sportswriters Hall of Fame. He has also co-written several books with Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Dick Vitale and authored a tribute book on Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
