Jalen Hurts has had an incredible career with the Alabama football program. After leading the Crimson Tide to back-to-back national championship game appearances, however, he found himself reduced to a backup role when star freshman Tua Tagovailoa entered the game and led the Crimson Tide to victory.
That led to speculation about whether Hurts would transfer from Tuscaloosa, but he ultimately decided to return to the team for the 2018 season.
That paid off for the Crimson Tide, who relied on Hurts in the SEC Championship Game after Tagovailoa suffered a game-ending injury. And never skipping a beat, Hurts entered the game and led an epic comeback to punch Alabama’s ticket to yet another College Football Playoff.
The way Hurts has handled his entire situation has been with nothing but grace and class, and that has made him a fan-favorite.
That was very clear on Saturday, December 15, when it was time for Hurts to walk across the stage as a graduate of the University of Alabama. As Hurts made his way to get his diploma, the star quarterback received a standing ovation.
The University of Alabama shared a video of the special moment.
Standing ovation when he takes the field. Standing ovation when he walks the stage. Congrats + a big #RollTide to the legend himself, @JalenHurts 💪 #BamaGrad #WhereLegendsAreMade pic.twitter.com/aq6AnaHKqw
— The Univ. of Alabama (@UofAlabama) December 15, 2018
What’s next for Hurts and whether he remains with the Crimson Tide in 2019 remains to be seen, but no matter where he goes you have to believe he will be a member of the Alabama family for life.
The top-ranked Alabama football program is currently preparing for a meeting with the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners when the College Football Playoff national semifinals kickoff on Saturday, December 29. The two teams are facing off in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Kickoff between the Crimson Tide and Sooners is set for 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on January 7, 2019.
