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Nick Saban shares thoughts on why Jalen Hurts can be claimed by Alabama
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Nick Saban will likely be rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday in Super Bowl LVII.
That’s because QB Jalen Hurts and WR DeVonta Smith, 2 former Alabama stars, will play big roles for the Eagles in the game.
Appearing on the “33rd Team” Podcast with Bill Cowher, Saban weighed in on the debate between Alabama fans and Oklahoma fans “claiming” Hurts:
“I think Jalen is defined by his commitment to his developing,” Saban said. “If you understand the history of this player, he went 26-2 here as a starter, bought into everything in the program, and got beat out. He went through a whole season after being 26-2 as a starter of being a backup player. We had a conversation. …
“I always meet with the players to discuss their strengths, weaknesses, and what they need to work on. He wanted to graduate from Alabama so he was not going to transfer until he graduated. I said, ‘you need to work on becoming a better passer.’ You can’t just make plays with your feet. I want you to focus this season on reading coverages, being more instinctive with getting the ball out of your hands quickly, anticipating throws in windows, and understanding the passing game better. Focus on that because you want to play in the NFL someday, and that is what you need to improve on. His diligence to that daily. … He would not take off running in practice, made himself stay in the pocket and learn how to do that.”
How will Hurts fare in the Super Bowl? He’ll be going toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes, so he’ll need to be at his best.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
