Oklahoma Coach Lincoln Riley could not help but admire Jalen Hurts from a distance.
He respected how the Alabama quarterback, who lost his starting job to Tua Tagovailoa, put the team above his pride. Hurts could have transferred right after Alabama went another direction, as so many quarterbacks do these days. Instead, he stuck it out and delivered a moment for the ages. After Tagovailoa went down with an injured ankle during the SEC title game against Georgia, Hurts rallied the Crimson Tide to victory.
“Could not be more impressed with Jalen Hurts, how he handled that,” Riley said as Oklahoma prepared to face Alabama in the playoff last month. “Big fan of that kid and how that entire situation was managed.”
Riley will get to know Hurts a lot better soon: The quarterback announced Wednesday in a story in the Players’ Tribune that he will transfer to Oklahoma. He will be available immediately as a graduate transfer.
“So to my about-to-be family in Norman, I truly appreciate you for bringing me on board. Y’all don’t know me yet… but just for now, to introduce myself: I’m a motivated coach’s son from the Eastside of Houston, and I love to play ball,” Hurts wrote.
Hurts leaves Alabama with 5,626 yards and 48 touchdowns passing and 1,976 yards and 23 touchdowns rushing. If he starts for the Sooners in their wide-open offense, more huge numbers are possible. If so, he will follow in the footsteps of Kyler Murray, another dual threat maestro who is currently deciding whether to play in the NFL or Major League Baseball. Murray waited his turn behind future No. 1 NFL draft pick Baker Mayfield, then delivered the second-most efficient passing season in FBS history while rushing for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
Riley’s short history with transfers is spectacular.
Murray transferred from Texas A&M before winning the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma this past season. Mayfield transferred from Texas Tech before winning the Heisman at Oklahoma in 2017. Neither was very efficient in their stops before playing for Riley.
Hurts could be next in line to make a dramatic leap.
“I’m very fortunate to have this opportunity, and I’m excited for the journey ahead,” he said.
Thirteen months ago, Hurts was a two-year starter who led Alabama to a pair of national championship games and was Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year as a freshman. In the 2018 national title game, with Alabama down big at halftime against Georgia, Tagovailoa replaced him and led the Crimson Tide to victory. Tagovailoa then beat out Hurts for the starting job heading into this past season and finished second in the Heisman voting. Hurts finished the season with 765 yards passing and 167 yards rushing.
• Quarterback Tate Martell says he is transferring from Ohio State to Miami.
Martell had entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal last week and was free to be approached by schools about a potential move.
• Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush announced he is transferring to UCF.
Wimbush is expected to compete with Darriel Mack Jr. for the starting job as back-to-back American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year McKenzie Milton recovers from a severe leg injury.
MICHIGAN: The father of a seventh grader in Michigan said his son has a scholarship offer from Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines.
Brian Marshall said Harbaugh made the offer after watching film of his son, Isaiah, who plays quarterback. He said he tries to keep his son grounded, and believes the offer will motivate Isaiah even more.
Offers like this are nonbinding, so it’s hard to tell how seriously they should be taken.
MARYLAND: Scottie Montgomery, the former East Carolina head coach, will be the Terps’ offensive coordinator, according to several people with knowledge of the agreement.
In addition to Montgomery, Penn offensive coordinator John Reagan will be the offensive line coach, and Mike Miller, who worked at Alabama as a graduate assistant, will coach tight ends.
UCONN: UConn has hired Lou Spanos, a coach with experience in both college football and the NFL, to fix its historically bad defense.
Coach Randy Edsall announced that Spanos has been hired as defensive coordinator, replacing Billy Crocker, who was fired after the Huskies’ 1-11 season.
He takes over a defense that gave up the most yards (7,409), yards per game (617.4), points (605) and points per game (50.41) of any major college football team in NCAA history.
Spanos was an analyst last season for Alabama after serving as the linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans from 2014-18. He was defensive coordinator at UCLA during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. His resume also includes 15 seasons on the staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
CLEMSON: After dining on fast food during their visit to the White House, the Clemson Tigers have been invited to eat at some of Chicago’s most acclaimed restaurants.
Nick Kokonas, the co-owner of the Alinea Group, invited the college football national champions “to experience what an actual celebration dinner should be.” The move comes after President Donald Trump on Monday served the players fast-food hamburgers and pizza.
The Alinea Group includes the restaurants Alinea, Next, Roister and The Aviary. Alinea’s chef, Grant Achatz, has been called one of the world’s most influential.
Kokonas tweeted that he could “care less” about college football, but added that “this is about showing them how a proper celebration looks in adulthood.”
Clemson has not yet responded to the invitation.
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