Alabama sophomore QB Jalen Hurts has been good this year, but there are still some question marks when it comes to him throwing the ball.

He’ll need to be much better through the air against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl if the Crimson Tide want to advance to the national title game, as the Tigers’ defense will feast on the Tide if Hurts is too one-dimensional.

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said on Wednesday that Hurts’ experience against Clemson in last year’s title game will help him, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him if the Tide are going to pull off the upset (via 247Sports):

“I think Jalen Hurts is going to have to be involved in not just running the football, I think he’s going to have to make some big plays throwing,” Herbstreit said. “… People talk about their defensive line as if — their secondary and their linebackers are really good, too. So, I think it’s an overall defense that’s very challenging.

“And the cool thing is Hurts has experience in playing against them, although it’s a new scheme. But I think a receiver besides Calvin Ridley is going to have to step up because, if you know Brent Venables at all, he’s going to come up with a plan to try to take away Ridley, and I want to see who that other guy can be for Alabama.”

It’s not an enviable task to have to take down Clemson, the defending champions, but if anyone can do it, it’s the team that beat Clemson in the title game two years ago.

Hurts, though, is going to have to have his best game in an Alabama uniform to accomplish the monumental task.