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Resilience gains respect: Jalen Hurts shows ability to bounce back
Aaron Suttles | Beat Writer
It was the moment everyone ā those in the stadium, fans watching at home and, most importantly, the guys in the huddle and on the team ā knew the stage wasnāt too big for the 18-year-old true freshman from Channelview, Texas, a suburb outside of Houston.
University of Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts had just been blindsided by Ole Miss linebacker Marquis Haynes, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound hybrid linebacker/defensive end, who came in untouched off the right edge of UAās offensive line. Haynes lowered his helmet just underneath Hurtsā chin and, with a crushing blow, separated Hurts from the ball, which Ole Miss picked up and ran for a touchdown to extend its lead to 24-3.
Hurts calmly got up and casually jogged to the sideline. He didnāt lie on the ground and sulk, although no one wouldāve blamed him, as hard as he had been hit. He didnāt yell at his offensive line, which messed up the protection. He didnāt petition the referee for a targeting call, although certainly one could have been made.
No, instead Hurts went to the sideline and gathered himself and his teammates for a couple of minutes, and then went out and led one of the most important drives of the season.
He helped the Crimson Tide get those seven points back in three plays. He found Calvin Ridley for a 22-yard gain, followed that up with a 22-yard run, and Ridley punctuated the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
In those plays, Hurts won the team over ā though, truth be told, heād likely done that long before that afternoon in Oxford, Miss.
āHe showed us all something after he got rocked,ā sophomore running back Damien Harris said.
That poise has come to define Hurtsā season, more so than his gifted running ability or his work-in-progress passing game. His stoicism has become the stuff of internet memes, but itās a rare characteristic for any competitor, let alone a true freshman.
It has also rubbed off on the team ā although, letās face it, the team has trailed in the second half just twice all season.
āIt's a mindset,ā Hurts said after the SEC Championship Game last weekend in Atlanta in his first media availability since suiting up for Alabama. āI grew up as a coach's kid, so I was around the game often. So it was kind of natural for me to be stoic, calm, because that's who I am.
āI think it's something I inherited just growing up, being a coach's kid. My brother was a little emotional. He would show emotions sometimes, and I learned from that. I think that's why I am who I am now.ā
What he is now is the best offensive player in the SEC. Thatās what the league coaches labeled him when they voted him the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Heās accounted for 3,433 total yards and 34 touchdowns.
Hurts continues to grow in the offense, especially his running ability. His rushing attempts and yards have increased each month of the season (45 carries for 251 yards in September, 50 for 270 in October and 59 for 319 in November).
Somewhat surprising is that Hurts has played some of his best games on the road, including at Ole Miss (146 yards rushing), at Tennessee (132 yards rushing and three rushing touchdowns), and at LSU (114 yards rushing and one rushing score).
In a way, though, his success on the ground in road games shouldnāt be a surprise given how road environments can be notoriously tough for inexperienced passers. In those three tough SEC road games, Hurts averaged less than 150 yards (145.7) passing.
The passing game remains inconsistent, but thatās not uncommon for a true freshman quarterback. Heās had the most success on first down ā again, not uncommon for most quarterbacks.
On first downs this season he has completed 100 of 149 attempts for 1,162 yards and six touchdowns against one interception. The completions, attempts and yards passing drop with each passing down.
On second downs heās 69 of 103 for 836 yards for nine touchdowns and four interceptions. On third downs, heās 47 of 80 for 543 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.
He knows for this offense to reach its potential, he needs to play with more consistency. But he also doesnāt overly fret the mistakes.
āYouāre going to have fumbles, youāre going to have interceptions, youāre going to have incompletions, missed balls," he said.
āIt becomes, āNext play. How do I respond?ā As a player, I just try not to let stuff get to me. It just comes with the story for me. Just next play, next play. Bad plays occur all the time. A bad play to me may not be a bad play to y'all. It always occurs, and you've just got to handle it.ā
TideSports.com - Resilience gains respect: Jalen Hurts shows ability to bounce back
Aaron Suttles | Beat Writer
It was the moment everyone ā those in the stadium, fans watching at home and, most importantly, the guys in the huddle and on the team ā knew the stage wasnāt too big for the 18-year-old true freshman from Channelview, Texas, a suburb outside of Houston.
University of Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts had just been blindsided by Ole Miss linebacker Marquis Haynes, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound hybrid linebacker/defensive end, who came in untouched off the right edge of UAās offensive line. Haynes lowered his helmet just underneath Hurtsā chin and, with a crushing blow, separated Hurts from the ball, which Ole Miss picked up and ran for a touchdown to extend its lead to 24-3.
Hurts calmly got up and casually jogged to the sideline. He didnāt lie on the ground and sulk, although no one wouldāve blamed him, as hard as he had been hit. He didnāt yell at his offensive line, which messed up the protection. He didnāt petition the referee for a targeting call, although certainly one could have been made.
No, instead Hurts went to the sideline and gathered himself and his teammates for a couple of minutes, and then went out and led one of the most important drives of the season.
He helped the Crimson Tide get those seven points back in three plays. He found Calvin Ridley for a 22-yard gain, followed that up with a 22-yard run, and Ridley punctuated the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
In those plays, Hurts won the team over ā though, truth be told, heād likely done that long before that afternoon in Oxford, Miss.
āHe showed us all something after he got rocked,ā sophomore running back Damien Harris said.
That poise has come to define Hurtsā season, more so than his gifted running ability or his work-in-progress passing game. His stoicism has become the stuff of internet memes, but itās a rare characteristic for any competitor, let alone a true freshman.
It has also rubbed off on the team ā although, letās face it, the team has trailed in the second half just twice all season.
āIt's a mindset,ā Hurts said after the SEC Championship Game last weekend in Atlanta in his first media availability since suiting up for Alabama. āI grew up as a coach's kid, so I was around the game often. So it was kind of natural for me to be stoic, calm, because that's who I am.
āI think it's something I inherited just growing up, being a coach's kid. My brother was a little emotional. He would show emotions sometimes, and I learned from that. I think that's why I am who I am now.ā
What he is now is the best offensive player in the SEC. Thatās what the league coaches labeled him when they voted him the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Heās accounted for 3,433 total yards and 34 touchdowns.
Hurts continues to grow in the offense, especially his running ability. His rushing attempts and yards have increased each month of the season (45 carries for 251 yards in September, 50 for 270 in October and 59 for 319 in November).
Somewhat surprising is that Hurts has played some of his best games on the road, including at Ole Miss (146 yards rushing), at Tennessee (132 yards rushing and three rushing touchdowns), and at LSU (114 yards rushing and one rushing score).
In a way, though, his success on the ground in road games shouldnāt be a surprise given how road environments can be notoriously tough for inexperienced passers. In those three tough SEC road games, Hurts averaged less than 150 yards (145.7) passing.
The passing game remains inconsistent, but thatās not uncommon for a true freshman quarterback. Heās had the most success on first down ā again, not uncommon for most quarterbacks.
On first downs this season he has completed 100 of 149 attempts for 1,162 yards and six touchdowns against one interception. The completions, attempts and yards passing drop with each passing down.
On second downs heās 69 of 103 for 836 yards for nine touchdowns and four interceptions. On third downs, heās 47 of 80 for 543 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.
He knows for this offense to reach its potential, he needs to play with more consistency. But he also doesnāt overly fret the mistakes.
āYouāre going to have fumbles, youāre going to have interceptions, youāre going to have incompletions, missed balls," he said.
āIt becomes, āNext play. How do I respond?ā As a player, I just try not to let stuff get to me. It just comes with the story for me. Just next play, next play. Bad plays occur all the time. A bad play to me may not be a bad play to y'all. It always occurs, and you've just got to handle it.ā
TideSports.com - Resilience gains respect: Jalen Hurts shows ability to bounce back
