Alabama’s Jalen Hurts can’t throw? USC QB Jake Bentley says you’re wrong
By Kevin Duffey
Published:
Several of the best young quarterbacks in college football live in the SEC. Two of them are South Carolina’s Jake Bentley and Alabama’s Jalen Hurts. Although their styles are different, their ability to lead the offense and their teams are similar. The Gamecocks made a stark turnaround under Bentley, and Alabama’s offense was dangerous at times with Hurts.
To see two true freshmen have success at such a high level is incredible.
But all the talk around Alabama’s offense centers around the dual-threat Hurts and the lack of a downfield passing game. Many are all saying the hot-shot freshman Tua Tagovailoa should be the Tide’s signal caller after a fantastic spring game. Let’s remember, though, that Hurts did have success through the air — 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns, but teams attempted to expose his weakness in the second half of the season. That’s a natural progression for a true freshman at any position. Opponents find the weakness and attempt to exploit it.
Recently, Bentley spent time with Hurts at the Manning Passing Academy, and the two have a solid relationship.
“We really hung out a lot and just talked about everything,” Bentley said at SEC Media Days. “Our experiences as being two young quarterbacks leading a team, the different things we picked up, different things that we learned. That’s what we talked about the most and just hanging out with him has been great.”
There are many similarities in Bentley and Hurts despite stark differences in their strengths. Both are natural athletes and leaders. They also garnered the respect of their teammates and coaches immediately. Bentley and Hurts are rather quiet players who let their game do the talking, too.
But Bentley just doesn’t understand all the criticism about Hurts’ passing ability, and he wasn’t afraid to say it either.
“Jalen looked great. He can really throw it,” Bentley said Thursday. “All that crap about ‘He can’t throw it,’ that’s untrue. That dude can spin it.”
Of course, things are different during passing drills in a camp setting without freakish defensive linemen looking to hit you.
Nick Saban echoed Bentley’s comments at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, saying Hurts has become a better passer this offseason.
“Jalen has done a good job in the offseason of becoming a better passer, understanding the passing game better, and we have some good running backs, and we have some good receivers and skill guys, and the offensive line has developed nicely,” Saban said.
We’ll know in Week 1 just how much the passing game has developed against Florida State.
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
