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In wake of Kelly Bryant’s transfer, Nick Saban offers praise to Jalen Hurts
By Adam Spencer
Published:
On Wednesday, Clemson QB Kelly Bryant announced he was transferring after losing the starting job to true freshman Trevor Lawrence.
Meanwhile, at Alabama, the Crimson Tide have had a much different experience with their quarterback battle, as Jalen Hurts has remained in Tuscaloosa even after losing his job to Tua Tagovailoa.
It appears Hurts is in it for the long haul, and it’s clear coach Nick Saban appreciates the commitment. On Wednesday, Saban praised Hurts when speaking with the media:
Saban on Jalen Hurts' character with other players deciding to transfer: I think Jalen has been very professional in handling this situation. It's a unique situation. He's working every day to get better. Speaks volumes to his character.
— Marq Burnett (@Marq_Burnett) September 26, 2018
More Nick Saban on Jalen Hurts choosing to stay: "Life is difficult. How you handle problems is the one thing you can control. I think this is certainly an obstacle that will help him be more successful in the future."
— Ben Jones (@BW_Jones) September 26, 2018
Saban added that Hurts will continue to get plenty of playing time moving forward:
Saban: “What Jalen has done is work as hard as he possibly can…we’re going to play him as much as we can. I’ve always said I have great respect for both of the guys (Tua and Jalen) and the way they have handled it.”
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) September 26, 2018
If Hurts appears in one more game this year, he won’t be able to redshirt. However, at this point in time, it doesn’t appear that’s a big concern for the talented junior.
If Hurts decides to become a graduate transfer at the end of this season, he’ll still have one more year of eligibility left.
Check out Saban’s full comments on Hurts below:
As other players are transferring, Nick Saban is happy Jalen Hurts is sticking around and plans to play him as much as possible: “It speaks volumes of his character to stick with his teammates, be a part of this team and finish the season.” pic.twitter.com/3hNcpoGbfR
— Marq Burnett (@Marq_Burnett) September 26, 2018
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
