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Jalen Hurts did not have to complete a single pass or make a breathtaking race. He did not have to do much except to show himself.
And when he did it with 53 seconds left in the first quarter of Alabama's 56-14 win over Louisiana on Saturday, the Bryant-Denny stadium crowd gave him a standing ovation – a prolonged prolonged applause one day when the audience watched with a slight interest. while the best team in the country was separating from another enemy.
Hurts received the chorus of applause as he made his fifth appearance of the season and in turn, he gave up his last chance of redshirt in 2018. Since June, when the NCAA passed a law authorizing players to participate in four games and still maintain a year of eligibility, there has been speculation on whether Hurts would benefit from the new rule if he lost the starting quarterback position at Tua Tagovailoa.
When Tagovailoa was assigned this role at the beginning of the season, questions about the status of Hurts within the team grew. He told the media that in August, he should graduate in December and that a possible transfer would have persisted since the spring. But Hurts never said a word in spelling Tagovailoa one game after another.
Saturday, as the tide led 28-0, Hurts was again sent to the field to play his role. He quickly led a scoring goal, hitting Henry Ruggs III on a 54-yard touchdown. The morning was spent in the afternoon, he made 4 pass attempts on 6 attempts to amass 118 yards, put eight more on the ground, and was filled with praise after his appearance.
"Jalen has clearly managed his role as team and team leader, respect his teammates and stay true to the program here and play very well today," said the 39, Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Saban has repeatedly expressed his opposition to the redshirt rule that has rocked university football – never more energetically than last Saturday. While Saban digests Hurts' decision to remain an active member of the tide, he was aware of the news that had spread in Clemson earlier this week when senior quarterback Kelly Bryant announced his intention to transfer him. once he had learned that he had been demoted in favor of Trevor. Lawrence.
The juxtaposition of situations involving Hurts and Bryant was highlighted on Saturday when Lawrence was injured in the first half of the Tigers 27-23 win over Syracuse.
"The timing for guys to say" I want to be scoured "is not good for the fourth, fifth or sixth game of the season after playing three or four games," Saban said. "We have the responsibility and the obligation, in my opinion, to do a great job to help our players have more success in life because they participate in the program … So we have the responsibility and the The obligation to the players to do so also has the responsibility and the obligation to play for their team.
"We gave them a purse, so I do not think it's really fair for teammates not to keep playing, I think that's not the intent of the rule. The intent of the rule was to play as a young player, a first-year player and improve his development, which turned into something less than we all wanted. "
On the same day, Saban officially announced that Tagovailoa was the newbie this month. The Alabama coach said his intention was to use Hurts' skills to help the Tide.
When asked on Saturday that he was discussing with Hurts about his status with the team, his new role and setting up the redshirt rule, Saban replied, "I communicate with a lot of players about their future, their situation and what we think benefits them. "
Hurts found that there was something to be gained from staying with Alabama – the team with which he led to a 26-2 record as starting the two previous seasons.
"He will obviously do the best for him," said receiver Derek Kief. "As a man, he displays everything that a man should want to be."
For those who have watched Hurts throughout his career, this is not so surprising.
It is proven that he is flawless, showing resolution repeatedly in difficult situations.
"I have only the greatest respect for him," said center Ross Pierschbacher.
Pierschbacher noticed Hurts quietly fulfilling his responsibilities and excelling in the first month of the season, when he completed 26 attempts of 37 passes for 394 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. All the while, according to Kief, Hurts remained positive.
"Always optimistic," he says. "Nothing negative ever – just try to be the best player possible, as we all try to do."
And that's why Hurts received an ovation before throwing a pass on Saturday. The supporters just wanted to show their gratitude for the junior quarterback. Specifically, they wanted to celebrate a young man who had decided that it was better to go out and play another game.
Rainer Sabin is an Alabama beaten editor for the Alabama media group. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin
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