🏈 The time is right for Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts to change positions

[crimsoncorner]

Hurts is an X-factor for Alabama when he's lined up behind center, but if he wants to give himself the best chance at a long NFL career, a position change might be in his best interest. Why wait until after college like Burton? After Tua Tagovailoa's emergence for the Crimson Tide during the national championship game, Hurts might have the luxury of changing positions now, this offseason, and setting himself up for a future NFL Draft.

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[Tidestalker]

I just don't see him being big enough to play tight end, or explosive enough to play WR. Never really see him take hits so RB would be a tough transition.

He will stick at QB and take a lot of snaps next year. JMO

 

[kbama15]

I think in all fairness, Saban will give him every chance to become a QB. Since Enos supposed to be the QB whisperer. but it wont take too many games this year for Saban to pull the trigger. JMO.

 

[crimsoncorner]

Enos was brought in to get Tua refined and ready to run Pro-style O. Locks will help install RPO's.

 

[TerryP]

I remember Goodman writing about Florida when he was on the beat there and saying Chris Leak should be benched and allow Tebow to run that Florida offense. He was convinced Tebow was a better passing threat than Leak which we all knew, then and now, wasn't true. When I factor in his stance on UAB and the Bama conspiracy theories to keep them down...well, don't care a lot for his perspective(s.) He's a UAB alum so I can set that aside, a bit.

All that said ... I'll take his opinion and offer mine.

First of all, I see this comparison between what Trey Burton has done and what Jalen offers as bad analogies. After all, Trey was recruited for a different scheme and a coaching change pushed him into playing other positions: WR, TE, and FB. Add to that, as already alluded to in this thread, they are built differently.

When it comes to Jalen I fully expect him to compete for the QB position come spring. We saw, in the NC game, a couple of reasons Tua wasn't ready for that position. Now, some of the mistakes we saw with Tua we saw with Jalen in his freshman year--like ball security. We also saw Jalen improve in that area last season so to dismiss his ability to grow more into the position seems a little premature.

Jalen isn't a bad quarterback. In fact, he's a great quarterback. You don't win a SECC, or get your team into the NC game in back-to-back years without being good at what you are doing.

He's labeled bad because a lot of people are judging him on one aspect of the game, one aspect of playing QB, and it's certainly an important one--his talent/ability as a downfield passer who can also see routes opening before they do. IF we choose to evaluate Jalen on that alone? Yes, I'd say that's not good. But, he's not the type of player that is made for that skill set (at least he hasn't been.)

Jalen has been excellent at just about every other aspect of playing the QB position. I know I'm beating a dead horse here but his talents at the other aspects of the QB position is why Bama won the SECC last year, it's why he was SECPOY, it's why we've seen him earn the accolades that he has.

What I'm seeing is judgments based on his ability to accurately throw the ball downfield. That's simplistic, it's also not a fair shake. The position is not made up one that single aspect; downfield passing. It's not that cut and dried. If he continued at the position he'd do well and Bama would continue to win as they have been the last two seasons.

Who is the better quarterback for what Saban wants out of the position? In the NC game it was Jalen and his control of the offense...until Bama had to open it up. In the future I can see Tua being "the guy." But, the suggestion Jalen needs to change positions and do so now? Like I said, premature.

 

[crimsoncorner]

Tua will be the starter next year. Tua is an elite generational type player. Jalen, himself, said Tua had the "IT" factor. If not for Tua, Jalen would have been 0-2 in NC games. I'm telling ya.... Enos was brought in specifically to get back to Pro-style O and that fits Tua to a T!

 

[TerryP]

I think in all fairness, Saban will give him every chance to become a QB. Since Enos supposed to be the QB whisperer.

I don't see him as being a QB whisperer, at all. Brandon Allen did improve when he was under Enos...until he ran into a good defense.

Enos does carry a lot of experience with the ACE set using multiple tight ends, has had his QB's under center with three, five, and seven step drops, and has play action as one of his staples on offense.

He's a good fit for a system that wants the QB to pass first, run second...and that's what we've seen with Saban for years.

But heck...we all see things differently.

 

[TerryP]

Enos was brought in specifically to get back to Pro-style O and that fits Tua to a T!

So was Daboll ...

Enos does carry a lot of experience with the ACE set using multiple tight ends, has had his QB's under center with three, five, and seven step drops, and has play action as one of his staples on offense.

...but in the end we're talking about the same thing.

 

[crimsoncorner]

Daboll wanted Tua from UT game on and Daboll was right. Saban is no dummy. He knows Tua is the guy.

Saban wanted to get away from the wildcat or read option. He got smitten with it when Gus beat him.

He has made it known that he wants the pro-style back.

The thing that has made Saban so great is his willingness to evolve.

 

[TerryP]

The thing that has made Saban so great is his willingness to evolve.

Or is it devolve since he's going back to what we saw Bama run a few years ago. When I found out about the goal to go back to a more pro-style attack I couldn't have been happier.

Personally, I don't believe he had much of a choice with Kiffin and the choices of Coker and Sims. Looking back and Blake, making the move to more of a RPO based attack was really the only option left. I'd have hated to be in the situation they were in '14 when they were basically picking the best of two guys who both weren't ready to take over the offense the way Saban visions it running.

 

[footballer]

For our offense to be consistently successful against really good defenses, the qb must have a credible and proven threat to pass the ball to any part of the field on any down. The threat of a good passer keeps the defenders from bunching up in the box to stop the run. With Jalen at qb, a good defense does not respect his passing "ability" and therefore sit in their position and wait for him to either hand off to a rb or fairly often keep it. With a credible passing qb like Tua ,who can also run, keeps the defense off balance, and assuming you have good ol play, this offense will have the ability to dictate to the defense anything it wants to do. I mentioned in a post some time ago that I thought Jalen was playing the wrong position. Finding the correct position or leaving him at qb is of course between him and his coaches.

 

[#80]

It takes JH to long to process information and make decisions. If his first option is covered he pulls it down and looks to leave the pocket.
Tua is like a machine going thru his progressions and makes quick decisions. There is no question in my mind who starts next year. I'm a huge JH fan hope we can find another position for him.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

TenBears and I agree that Jalen needs to stay at QB and try and get better ...while he backups #13. You got to have a solid player at QB as your backup. Jalen is a A+ wildcat QB that can throw the ball as well. That is selfish for sure asking him to stay for the good of the team. There was a time in college football where you had players at the QB at Bama that wanted to play but they wanted to be part of a winner. Yes, I am old.

 

[t1de]

i'd like to see him used like LSU used jacob hester. kind of a hback but really he played all over the place.

 

[ElephantStomp]

Hurts is a QB. I wouldn’t change his position.

Hurts hasn’t progressed as fast as he should’ve, but we all learn differently.

I believe Hurts will start the year as the starting QB

Tua played good in the NC, but there’s a bit overreaction because of the ending. Had the defense not made some stops there would be no last play.

Jalen is a good QB shit he got us to two NCs and a SECCG and won SECPOY and I think people are casting him away because Tua played well in one game for one half.

 

[JoshB]

Daboll wanted Tua from UT game on and Daboll was right. Saban is no dummy. He knows Tua is the guy.
.

Really? You talked to Daboll about that did you? :eyeroll:

 

[bama alum]

i'd like to see him used like LSU used jacob hester. kind of a hback but really he played all over the place.

I agree. That's a good fit for Jalen.

 

[CiscoKid]

Tua will start next year. But, Hurts will be 1 injury away from being the starter. If he were on a team that didn't have top notch talent all over the field, he could reasonably switch positions. I think his odds of playing time are much better at QB than any other position on the team. Jalen is also a team player. He knows we need him to stat at QB. Should he leave or change positions, we would be in rough shape if Tua got hurt.

 

[crimsoncorner]

Really? You talked to Daboll about that did you? :eyeroll:

Actually, I do speak with a staff member. Not Daboll, but one who knows. I'll leave it at that.

 

[JoshB]

Actually, I do speak with a staff member. Not Daboll, but one who knows. I'll leave it at that.

Sure.