TENNESSEE
Damn you, Jalen Hurd. You have given me yet another reason to despise this entire generation of college football players.
Butch Jones confirmed that Tennessee’s 6-foot-4, 240-pound running back is leaving the program as soon as possible. Apparently, he’s unhappy with his role in the offense. He intends to transfer and switch positions.
The Volunteers, who have fallen from 5-0 and No. 9 in the country to 5-3 and out of the polls, are coming off a shocking loss at South Carolina. Even with fellow ball carrier Alvin Kamara — he’s looked like the better back lately — out of the lineup, Hurd only rushed 8 times for 16 yards and a touchdown.
What was supposed to be a dream season for UT has quickly turned into a nightmare. And Jones hasn’t even woken up yet.
Apparently, Hurd is upset that the Vols continue to run a spread-based system and haven’t featured him in more traditional I-formation sets. His enviable size makes him hard to handle between the tackles for any defense.
So in typical millennial fashion, Hurd decided to turn his back on the other 84 scholarship players in his locker room and do what’s best for him. The fact that the entire offense wasn’t completely redesigned to take advantage of his specific skill set — no matter the fit — means he’s taking his ball and going home.
Tennessee fans, this should be your reaction: good riddance. Rocky Top will never be “home sweet home” to Hurd.
“Epidemic” is no longer a strong enough word when discussing the amount of transfers we’re seeing among players. It’s so much worse. “Plague” is better. The enabling and entitlement have reached unprecedented heights (lows?).
Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
It used to be that transfers happened during the offseason. Now, kids are bailing right in the middle of the schedule. Former Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett — coach Nick Saban’s starter for Week 1 — couldn’t handle losing his job to Jalen Hurts. Just a rolled ankle away from playing again, he bailed instead.
It’s apropos that this is happening on Halloween. Hurd is acting like a trick-or-treater who got raisins instead of candy.
Clearly, Hurd has been told by too many people in his inner circle that the pigskin world revolves around him. Family. Friends. High school coaches. Recruiting sites. Street agents. This is what the slippery slope looks like.
Hurd is currently 18th in the SEC in rushing yards. He has a lone 100-yard game — against Appalachian State, no less. He’s averaging an anemic 3.7 yards per carry. Four quarterbacks in the conference have more touchdowns on the ground than he does. Since he was a 1,288-yard guy last year, surely it can’t be his fault.
Yes, Joshua Dobbs has been disappointing at QB. The offensive line has been porous, too. The scheme isn’t bulletproof, either.
However, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Hurd to look in the mirror every once in a while, and not just to see how badass he looks chewing on that mouthpiece with the fangs. He deserves some of the blame.
Coming into 2016, Hurd was mentioned in the same breath as LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Georgia’s Nick Chubb — this was supposed to be the Year of the Running Back, after all. The truth is he’s nowhere near the same level of natural talent. Fournette and Chubb have had their struggles, too. Neither quit, though.
The Volunteers have teeter-tottered as violently as any team in the country these past few weeks. It’s been dizzying.
Jones and Co. were most everyone’s pick to capture the East and play in the league championship game come December. If things broke their way, they had a chance to crash the College Football Playoff party in January.
Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
A heartbreaking overtime loss at Texas A&M was followed by a humbling beatdown at home by ‘Bama. Both losses were understandable, especially after surviving epic battles with Florida and Georgia the previous two weeks. But this past Saturday’s stunner to the Gamecocks — following a bye, remember — was a head scratcher.
You learn more about a young man’s character in defeat than you do in victory. We learned that Hurd is a quitter.
He doesn’t want to win. He wants to be the focal point of the offense so he can ball out every Saturday. Hurd was surely the stud from Pop Warner through high school, so it’s probably beneath him to just be a cog in the wheel.
I have no doubt that we’ll hear all kinds of reasonable explanations from Hurd and his camp once this is made official. I can’t wait to see if he’ll go the Maurice Smith route — “Georgia has a much better Public Health department than Alabama, Commissioner” — and claim that academics played a part in the decision.
As a father of two young children, a 3-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl, it makes me cringe to see stories like this.
If my boy wants to try out for the school play, then he can try out for the school play. But what he can’t do is quit because a classmate got the part he wanted. Same goes for my girl. My kids will finish what they start.
But this isn’t about me. This is about a generational disease. Instead of Hurd working harder to be the best back he can be for Tennessee, he’d rather go try to play tight end for somebody else. All he needs is another coach — they’ll be lining up, believe me — willing to stroke his precious ego in all the places Jones wouldn’t.
Cliché machines like Jones always say that no one player is bigger than the team. He should be happy to help Hurd pack his bags.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
Even as a Tennessee hater, this is truly disappointing
Everyone wants to talk about Jalen as a person and stop there, which is asinine. I am a Vol fan through and through and FULLY support this decision by Jalen.
If I played under this coaching staff, was lied to like his Uncle is saying, saw ZERO CHANGES TO THE GAMEPLAN week after week after week, I would leave too. He wants to play in the NFL and Butch Jones and Mike DeBord have done nothing but drill his draft stock this year.
You still finish what you started. He started the season and he should finish it, bottom line. Because things aren’t going his way? Poor guy…you chose this school and committed to play this season. You finish what you start.
Listening to that Bama RT819,he’s absolutely right you finish what you started.
So Kiffin should go back Knoxville and complete the process of destroying the football program after they fire Butch……
Derek Dooley has done a good job coaching receivers for the Dallas Cowboys. Maybe he would be interested in returning?
By the same token, Saban should go back to Miami and let Bills fans throw dildos at him.
Just asking, Did Kiffin or Saban leave in mid-season? They may have left mid-contract but not in the middle of the season.
Wow never thought I would agree with a Tide fan but preach on friend .
I agree with RT819. He made a commitment to this school and to these players. Bailing in the middle of the season like this says a lot about his character and who he is. Rocky Top is better off without him.
So … Nick Saban should go back to Miami considering he had three years remaining on his contract when he bolted for Bama is what your saying!?..
People leave before their contract is up all the time, that’s nothing new, but they usually wait until the end of the season and if Saban left mid season, I’d say the same thing…completely different scenario here. Nice try though…
“Finish what you started, unless it’s nothing new” – RT819
Not sure why you quoted me there, as that’s not at all what I said, but spin it as you may. Leaving midseason and waiting until the end of the season are two different things.
So, finishing what you started is no longer important once the season is over. Got it.
Well, you started a season and you finish the season. Do you not understand that? Do you start projects at home and when they get tough, you just quit and start something else?
I do if it’s New Year’s, because according to your own standards, you no longer have to finish what you started once a new year starts.
Why is a year the measuring stick? Why not the length of a contract, or a game? Do you understand how ridiculously arbitrary it is to say that not finishing a season you started is a huge awful deal, but not finishing a contract you started is just fine? Do you see how that makes it sound like you don’t REALLY care about “finishing what you started,” but instead only care about it when it supports your argument?
Coaches leave midseason, coaches get fired midseason, players get cut and dismissed midseason, players who aren’t playing much transfer midseason all the time. But Hurd transfers? “OMG WHAT A MILLENNIAL PROBLEM”
I’d say the same thing about coaches leaving midseason…at least wait until the season ends, that’s the only point I’m making here. Not talking about players getting cut or coaches getting fired here, completely different scenarios. And no players don’t transfer midseason ‘all the time.’ Most wait until the off season to transfer. Outside of Blake Barnett (who I was critical of as well) and Hurd, who else has announced they’re transferring during the middle of the season???? I’ll wait…
For the record, I posted a link to an ESPN article listing 55 midseason transfers in one season alone, but it’s still “awaiting moderation”
Thank you for proving my point. So, ~.5% of all scholarship football players in D1 football transfer midseason (assuming all 128 D1 teams use all 85 alloted scholarships). Wouldn’t say that’s ‘all the time’.
RT: “Name ONE besides Barnett, I’ll wait”
*Nash names 55 in one season*
RT: “Thanks for proving my point.”
LOL. Why the hell are you looking at percentage of all players? If .5% transfer midseason but only 1% of all players transfer total, that’s a huge proportion.
So you named more than 2 players (congrats, but btw, I can’t find any ESPN article on that), but my whole point was players don’t transfer ‘all the time’ during the middle of the season – you cited an article that said 55 players out of 10,880 scholarship players in D1 college football transferred midseason one year – that’s not a lot when you look at how many players there are. Of course .5% of 1% is a huge proportion, but you are throwing out a hypothetical now…I just came across a list of notable transfers from 2015 and it’s 178 players – just the notable ones. I’m sure there are hundreds and hundreds more that transfer every year that are under the radar and if I can find the entire list, I will.
I applaud your honesty. Playing him while he should have been under concussion protocol was unforgivable. Plus, he was lied to about the offense they were going to run.
Where are you getting that info…?
We’ve ran the same offense the whole time he has been here so you can’t say that it’s because he was lied to if he was mad because of the offense scheme then he would have left 2 years ago instead of the middle of his jr season
All I know is,nobody likes a quitter,including the NFL!
The story that I read stated that he wanted out after last season, but Butch ran more of his style of offense in the bowl and promised him that he would get more looks like that this year. If the coach is lying to the player I see absolutely nothing wrong with him wanting out, and to think him leaving to find a better fit for his talents is a bad look for NFL personnel, you also have to consider that putting up bad numbers because you’re playing in a scheme detrimental to your playing style is just as bad.
The player does not dictate the offensive scheme, period. Whatever Butch told him (or did not tell him), the player does not control it after a decision is made. He should have quit during spring practice, if he really could not play what was being called and practiced.
Hurd never had a concussion. He mouthed off on the sideline and got benched for it.
Draft stock? Man, get out of here with that noise. College football is about sportsmanship and doing whatever you can to help your team. It’s not the “hey, everybody look at me” game that the NFL is. At least, it’s not supposed to be. People like Jalen Hurd, and you, are making it more and more like the NFL year after year, and that’s a real shame.
You obviously haven’t been keeping up with college football very much in the last 10 years.
Hahaha right?
Absolutely should finish what he started. What about his teammates? Say what you want but if he skips out the backdoor those relationships are lost forever. He wasn’t leaving when Tn. was moving up the polls. People and players show CHARACTER when the chips are down! Bet he doesn’t land anywhere in the SEC
I would imagine there are rules in place that would not allow him to transfer to another SEC team. It’s pretty standard.
I’m Tennessee Orange through and through and agree the staff didn’t utilize his ability and didn’t keep their promises,but you don’t quit in the middle of the season,period.I do hope for the best in his future.
We’ve seen a number of SEC RBs who didn’t have stellar senior seasons get drafted and become very productive NFL players. I’d think quitting mid-year is potentially more damaging for his NFL stock than the abysmal numbers he accumulated this season.
*Senior season or junior season… referring to of course the last year before going pro.
I think it speaks more to the fact that the patience with Butch Jones and Mike DeBord is gone. His numbers are not his fault. When you run the same plays, the defense is going to make easy adjustments. Not even Sooner Peterson would be able to run with this Tennessee play calling.
Well said.
And why now? Remember the kid that did not like the score so he just “took his ball and went home?” Sounds familiar. I don’t see that he is gaining anything NOW, but stands to lose a lot be not finishing.
Kelly and Kamara have both produced major yardage with it this season. In fact the best game we had all year in terms of offense was the game they played against A&M and Jalen didn’t make the trip.
Well said! Finish what you started.
Yup. I often forget Christine Michael played for the Ags. Perfect example.
Or, heck, a Vol, Arian Foster. He had a darn good career in the NFL and set franchise records before retiring!
John Crist you dont know shat. This young man has been a beast at RB since he was a freshman. He ran the ball all the damn time with no o-line to block. He carried defenders 5 to 10 yards dang near every time he ran the ball. Jones and Deboard laid it all on Dobbs and Hurd to win games. I dont blame Hurd. Tennessee has enough weapons that with an OC worth a dang, could of helped Hurd. Everyone in the country knew what Tennessee was going to run which was usually always give it to Hurd.
I get the desire to try to defend him. I’m sure he’s a good kid. But there’s no defense of transferring mid year because you’re frustrated w/ coordinator, play calling, number of carries, etc.
If you were point-blank lied to by the coaching staff, that to me is enough of a defense. I never liked Hurd but in this instance, I trust him more than Butch Jones. Butch can deny all day long that any promises were made, but I don’t believe him one bit. He comes from the same mold as Brian Kelly, both arrogant and ego maniacs and when something bad happens, it is never their fault. Let’s see Butch explain this one away with an endless onslaught of clichés…
I agree. To say nothing of playing him while he was suffering from concussion symptoms.
Lets not forget, if Tn was undefeated or a 1 loss hed be in knoxville. Hes quitting bc the season isnt going as the media promised.
Yes there is. Enough of that talk. They are doing nothing to help Jalen. He’s not getting paid, and the team isn’t supporting him. What reason could he have for staying? He’d just be wasting his extremely valuable time treading water.
Agreed, John Crist dont know shat.
I hate Tennessee but I disagree with this 100% if the following is true –
There are reports that Hurd wanted to transfer last year, to get into an offense he felt better suited him. Rumors are that the coaching staff promised they would run out of the I formation more, which hasn’t been done at all this year. Easy to blame the players sometimes, but if Butch Jones lied to him and hasn’t done what he said, I am fine with Hurd leaving.
If any of that is true, then I sincerely hope for the best for Hurd and that it works out for him. Butch Jones is a sleazebag.
sure as opposed to The Gamecrocks who can’t even keep a 100 year old has been of a coach on board for the entire year. Be honest you’re just POed because the old ball coach never beat Jones. The Football universe is slowly rotating back to normalcy, Florida, Tenn, Ga, fight for a weak East div and USCjr and the rest bottom feed
It’s another media inflicted casualty. TN is having a good season and this shouldn’t happen but, TN is not the National Champion the media drilled and drilled and drilled into every college football fans washed-brain. Please media, please stop with the predictions and just let the Jalen Hurds + rest-of-the-roster play it out for themselves and us.
Let’s all jump on the criticism train and bash a young man for choosing to put himself in a better position for his career goals. I’m sure no one here has ever left a job and/or company for the potential of a better opportunity.
It’s it absurd!? The second you “misrepresent” a college team, they’ll send you packing. Butch already kicked a 5th years senior off the team this year assumably resulting from test results after being rushed to the hospital after a scary injury. These schools do not care about their athletes or students, but people are don’t hesitate to bash a player when he jumps ship. It’s not right.
Butch already kicked a 5th years senior off the team this year assumably resulting from test results after being rushed to the hospital after a scary injury.
—
You test positive for cocaine… you don’t get to play. UT had to dismiss him once those results were in. They did say they will pay for any medical bills that he accumulated from the game.
My thought exactly Bama. Hurd has been a beast of a RB at UT. There is something going on in that locker room with coach Jones and company and it isnt good.
That “something” may be Hurd’s attitude. I don’t know ( and you probably don’t either). We will learn more later.
DoctorLarry, from what I’ve heard that’s absolutely been the case but fans don’t want to hear that after a bad loss. Coaches are responsible for not nipping it in the bud before now but Hurd is very much responsible for his own actions both now and behind the scenes this year.
Coming from a fan whose coach has done nothing his entire career but jump ship. How “understanding” would you be if Sybian jumped to say Lsu.
Coming from a fan whose coach has done nothing his entire career but jump ship. How understanding would you be if Sybian jumped to say Lsu.
First of all, Crist is a complete jackass and has no clue what’s really going on with this team. Hurd may be overreacting, but he’s got to be frustrated and angry with the fact that nobody else is dealing with the inept coaching.
These players are disgusted with the coaching staff and the morons who think they should throw away their college careers (as well as a possible pro career for some) by sacrificing themselves within an asinine coaching system!! I was frustrated with Hurd’s performance, but after having time to assess ALL of the elements involved in the collapse of this team, it’s clear that the lion’s share of the blame lies at Butch Jones’ door. He’s called himself out after the losses–though its obvious he’s saying what he thinks everyone else wants to hear–and its time for UT to make the tough decision and fire him.
Laying this meltdown at the feet of Jalen Hurd–or any player–is lazy journalism or bad coaching.
Agreed, Crist is a complete jackass. That is all.
Agreed. Hell look at all the games they should of won last year that the coaches lost in 4th quarter. I believe most of the players was tired of all the BS coach Jones was spewing and called him on it. Brick by brick my ass.
I didn’t realize coaches can let their fundamentals drift to the wayside in the 4th quarter, especially concerning ball control or poor passing decisions. Dubose has shown absolutely no fortitude for anything more than read draws, or slant routes. An unstable at best pocket doesn’t help, but Dubose will receive his walking papers at season’s end (or sooner with another loss), not Jones
Debord* damn autocorrect is as flaky as his play calling skills
I don’t see an issue with transfers at all. Coaches can make promises and bolt at the drop of a hat. Why should a player not have the same option? Now, I do think it’s in poor taste to transfer mid season. Regardless of whether the coaches lied to him or not, he should finish the season for his teammates. As far as the spread vs I formation crap…Pettway is a big down hill runner and leading the SEC out of a spread formation. It’s more about the OL and the RB than the scheme.
Not every player is able to take the hits running like a train through the DL like Pettway does. Pettway won’t hold up either if they run him like that every week.
… and Crist, all your witty, juvenile criticisms of Hurd don’t factor in the horrific offensive line play he’s had to deal with nor the abysmal play calling from DeBord.
If this guy was in a system that featured him in the manner he’s best at, he’d be UT’s all time leading rusher right now. (And we’d likely be 6-1.)
I don’t have a problem with the criticism if Hurd truly transferred because of the horrific OL play or dismal play calling. If that is the case, then the criticism is on target. Kids need to learn that not everything goes your way and there will be disappointment in life, and you can’t quit the first time things get hard.
Having said all that, I still back Hurd in this one. I think there is more to the story about promises made to him that were not kept and if that is the case, good for him to leave and bring attention to Jones’ sleazy ways.
Agreed, Crist is juvenile. That is all.
This op/ed article….I mean blog entry….is ridiculous. It is not just Vol fans who empathize with Jalen Hurd and everything he did for UT and yet had to deal with from the coaches.
On another note…I believe that this makes 12 of the kids from Tennessee’s stellar 2014 recruiting class to leave before their eligibility is up.
Plus, don’t forget Preston Williams. He was the other 5 star recruit to leave this season.
I wonder if Butch will make it to 2017?
“I wonder if Butch will make it to 2017?”
I hope not. He’s great at lying to recruits to get them here. Then they just sit around and learn the wrong way to play until they figure it out and leave.Butch is a joke.
Agreed, Crist is ridiculous.
This is more fun than the Kiffin departure and the Dooley yests
Mmmmm….Didn’t Hurd flourish in this offense last year? Check the stats
I am on the edge on my seat waiting on Kiffin’s next tweet. Next year is UTk’s season!
You sux
I think him transferring will destroy him draft hopefulness. As much as he would hate,you finish what you started,the guy is a beast ,and believe me the NFL scouts not this. Quitting on your team is what makes them frown.
I’ve known Jalen Hurd since he went to high school in Nashville and as the article correctly states, it has always been about him on the football field and his individual achievements.
Take his senior year at Beech High School for example, Jalen played the first game of the season that was televised on ESPN but then DECIDED to have season ending shoulder surgery after the game and throw the rest of his senior year because he had already committed to Tennessee.
This is just another example of Butch Jones and the coaching staff failing their players, their fans, and ultimately the university. If I were in Jalen Hurd’s shoes, I would leave to with the school’s athletic department in disarray like it is now and has been for some time.
I was definitely with you until you contradicted your whole post in the last paragraph.
I think he is saying both are true.
1. Hurd is all about himself.
2. Coaches are failing players.
Coaches failed because they tried to appease Hurd and keep everyone happy until he left for the draft at the end of the year when they should’ve benched him or let him go much sooner. Kamara and Kelly have both played better than Hurd all year long and should’ve had far more touches.
Agree it sounds like your last paragraph overwrites your first? Also what is the rehab time for this surgery? Was it do to have rehab time to be ready to go 100% when he could go work out at UT?
I am all for a young man transferring if there is something wrong and there maybe, but I know Jalen personally and he does not have the best character. He did not get officially kicked out of MBA because he transferred to Beech before that could happen. He has caused countless uproars at social gatherings because he thinks he is ahead of anyone else. The article was pretty intense, but actually not far off. Tennessee’s line is decimated with injuries so he hasn’t got the numbers he thought he would get. He got mad because he was not getting the ball yet he was dead last in the SEC in yards per carry. I think any coach would give the ball to someone else if they are producing more like Alvin Kamara or John Kelly. Wouldn’t any coach give the ball to the other RBs if they are out performing the “starter”? Bottom Line is the world does not revolve around Jalen Hurd anymore and he could not take that. Hints why he is leaving mid season. I am not for Butch Jones as a coach either, but if you knew Hurd personally you would understand how this came up.
It’s a business decision. We may not agree with him, but let’s face it; 90% of these elite student althletes are not planning on or are going to obtain a college degree. They want to make it to the NFL at all costs. If that means quiting on your team in the middle of the season, then that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
Best wishes for Hurd and the Vols.
True that, well said.
You Vols fans take empathy wherever you can get it.
Typical millennial attitude. You finish what you committed to and finish the season then transfer. If anything, this makes his draft stock drop because he looks like a quitter when times get tough. A lot of players that didn’t put up big numbers in college are big time NFL stars. You finish out the season and what you committed to, then transfer if you want.
I’ve never seen you on any articles about Bama players transfering, calling them quitters or millennials…. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Yes, it will hurt his draft stock. No he will not go unsigned. There have been plenty of former college players with domestic violence charges, gun charges, ect…than players who make a decision to transfer (who look like “quitters”) ,and still get a deal.
Players “quit” all the time in the NFL, why do you think the tv ratings continue to drop? It’s boring, and players “quit” fighting on Sunday, knowing they are getting a fat check the next day.
Don’t contribute to the ignorance bro.
Blake Barnett is a quitter with the millennial attitude because things didn’t go his way, he quits 4 games into a season, when he’s an injury away from starting, does that make you happy?
This goes for ANY player or coach that quits mid season. If Sumlin quit mid season would you still say, well, it was a business decision, wish him the best? I highly doubt it…
I never said he’d go unsigned, but it will hurt his draft stock, period. And what are you talking about players quitting on Sunday, I don’t see a lot of NFL players quitting in the middle of the season and walking away. They may give up on Sunday because their team sucks and be back at it the next day, but they don’t leave the team mid season.
My argument to finish out the season (or whatever a person committed to) still stands, bro.
Are you using Sumlin as an example? LMAO!!!!1
Well Sumlin wouldn’t quit midseason, because according to your Fundamental Attribution Error, only millennials are capable of quitting and not the fact that some quitters just so happen to be millennials. I bet you still think that smoking cigarettes will absolutely give you cancer, and ignore the fact that people who smoke cigarettes may develop cancer, in the mean-time.
Correlation doesn’t prove causation…
Ofcoarse you don’t see NFL players walk away, becasue they will get fined ( they’re under contract) every day they are absent..
A). You didn’t go to bama
B). You went to bama and didn’t learn how to present an arguement that isn’t filled with every kind of fallacies (that’s English 103 stuff).
C). You went to bama and learned a lot, but the quality of lackluster professors are so abundant that the results permeate throughout this board.
I’m going to go with A. My arguement that draft stock won’t stop NFL teams from “taking a chance” on Hurd, still stands, bro!
I couldn’t care less if you think I went to Bama or not dude. And because someone has a ‘millennial’ attitude, doesn’t mean they have to be a millennial, it’s just more of an expression bud.
You never did answer my question about Sumlin quitting midseason though, would you still say it was a business decision and accept it just as that?
The only thing that will hurt his draft stock is if he plays poorly or is injured at his next school.
“It’s just more of an expression bud”
Expression? Who uses that as an experession? No, your toothless friends don’t count as the consensus.You act like it’s ubiquitous or heck, even remotelly pop-culture… lol
“…because someone has a ‘millennial’ attitude, doesn’t mean they have to be a millennial….” But your FAE contradicts that whack statement!
You: “You never did answer my question about Sumlin quitting midseason though, would you still say it was a business decision and accept it just as that?”
But I did Simple Jack, I did.
My reply: “Are you using Sumlin as an example? LMAO!!!!1
Well Sumlin wouldn’t quit midseason, because according to your Fundamental Attribution Error, only millennials are capable of quitting and not the fact that some quitters just so happen to be millennials…”
Now you know how the 2014 Ags feel like. This is what 59-0 feels like bro.
You’re getting owned!!!! Lmao!
I support any player’s decision to leave a team, if it isn’t working out for him or her; but only after the season has ended. He should have stuck it out. Told the coach after the regular season ended or told him in confidence during the season, so that they could adjust recruiting. Also believe that if a coach is fired, any player who request a release should get one and they should be able to play the next year and go anywhere in the country – no restrictions. If the coach leaves on his own, then the player should have the same rights, with the exception of following that coach or anyone on his staff to another University. These guys only get one shot at this and if they have been lied to or misled, then they should have options.
We can’t forget, however, that this young man has to think about his career. If this was an NFL player, everyone would say “hey you gotta do what’s right for you.” We don’t own these players. It sucks when they leave but if you were at a job you hated and you were promised things when you arrived and then those things didn’t happen…you would leave for a different job too.
His career as a WR? Please keep in mind his intent is to play WR. Any draft stock is sinking quicker than MU’s bowl hopes.
Bro, Hurd has the explosiveness and the size to play wide out. He’d probably start over every reciever at Mizzou. Lol
Last year we had a full-time runningback move to corner. Well, he’s starting in the NFL for the Cardinals..
Nice try with the hate though…
M—-I—Z——-Z—ZZzzzzzzzzzzzz lol
Not buying it. 1st he’s gotta find a school that will want’s to give an ex RB that quit 1/2 way thru the season after a 3 game losing stretch a new job as a WR, next he has to learn a new system and displace a starter or projected starter. Hopefully no players at his new school are already wearing the jersey with #1 on it; it may be a deal breaker if it’s not available. So after he does all this he needs a career year in his new position. Don’t think we’ll see too many NFL scouts drooling. And since when does a wideouts resume’ require having a 240 pound frame? And will he be demonstrating his explosiveness while running routes on a treadmill?
Plus your corner Williams was a team player; made a switch to help his team. Ironic that he’s your example.
Not everybody will think in such a trivial fashion such as yourself. A jersey number being a deal breaker for a future in the NFL?
And don’t pretend to know Brandon Williams; you didn’t know who he was until I mentioned him. You also don’t know what was going through Williams’ head. It’s sad you try to attack individual attributes to form an argument. Heck let’s ask ourselves, how many running backs named Jalen are in the NFL, while we’re at it.
LOL
LOL indeed! The #1 jersey comment was a play on his “me first” mentality; not sure how you missed that. As far as not knowing Brandon Williams, I have this contraption called a computer and access to a search engine called Google. Great tool for searching out all kinds of data (should I assume you know “every” MU receiver since you referenced “every” one of them?). You brought Williams up and it didn’t take long to reference what went into his position change; he was not going to contribute much on offense and was approached about making an immediate impact while filling a need on defense. Again, I think you failed to think thru your comparison of Turd and Williams. Funny you saw and called my rebuttal a sad attack on Turds’ attributes when I was actually making fun of you for suggesting it takes a 240 lb athlete to play WR.
I never made that assumption. Where did I say it takes 240 pounds to play wr? As far as me not knowing everyone of miss zoo’s receivers, I have this contraption called a computer and access to a search engine called Google. Great tool for searching out all kinds of data like all of those 3 star players that Pinky recruited are starting to back fire on the program , since Pinky isn’t there to develop them.
Miss zoo is the new Miss State! Lmao!
M—-I—Z— …………zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Jeez you’re like talking to a 6 year old. How’s about I just concede?
“1st he’s gotta find a school that will want’s to give an ex RB that quit 1/2 way thru the season” There are at least 100 FBS teams out there ready to beat down the doors to get a player like that on their team. He won’t go to another SEC team, but there are plenty of others looking for an elite plug-n-play athlete to up their stats.
Yes, quan. I suppose.
Every team knew who was getting the ball dang near every snap and Hurd still had great numbers. Both him and Dobbs are beast as runners. Surprised both have lasted as long as they have with all the hits they have taken. Plus both Hurd and Dobbs gain that yardage mostly on their own. O-line sucks and doesnt give either that big a hole to run. Both get hit at the line or make defenders miss and both still carry defenders 5 yards after 1st hit. You cant take punishment day in and day out in tje SEC and think you will last long in the NFL. Thats what makes me mad. Jones could of fired Deboard last year but chose to fire DC Jancek. The D wasnt the problem last year. It was playcalling,shotty o-line play, and lack of downfield passing attack. Shoop has been a big disappointment this year. I have said this time and time again………folks listen up. Deboard will be coach Butch Jones downfall mark it down.
Wait – “Hurd still had great numbers” ???
Regardless of the cause, he did not have more than mediocre numbers at 3.7 yds/carry. Coaches may be the problem, but don’t make stuff up.
With the athletes that Butch can recruit at TN, he must look to Ole Miss/Big 12 for how to move the football. You cannot ram the ball down LSU’s, Alabama’s, Auburn’s, etc throat with 2AA and 3AAA linemen. Can you imagine TN putting up 43 on Bama? Well, Ole Miss did with the same quality athletes. Butch change your approach-it is no longer 3 yards and a cloud of astro-turf………….
Agreed. Jalen Hurd is now Jalen Turd. #flushthehurd
Hey John Crist, didnt Spurrier quit midseason and everyone of yall was giving him kudos and golf claps the whole season. Coaches can leave like that do why not players? Hell Saban lied and told everyone, No I am not going to coach Bama, then the next day……we want to welcome the next HC of Alabama Nick Saban. Where does all the BS end John?
Actually, I called Spurrier spineless for going out the way he did, just like I’m saying it about Hurd.
To be fair, Saban did leave after the Dolphin season had ended, just saying…
He was still under CONTRACT…. Just saying….
Coaches leave all the time before their contract is up, but not everyone leaves mid season, big difference! Still hurting from when he left you guys over at decade ago huh?
You are a moron. He can’t leave midseason, and he’s not. NCAA bylaws demands that a student athlete be enrolled in a college for a full academic year before transferring. He might very well decide to stay. I don’t know how many times Nick Harvey claimed he was transferring and he’s our starting CB this year.
Ha, you do know Butch Jones has confirmed he’s leaving right? And he can leave midseason if the University releases his scholarship.
Leaving, no sh*t! When is the question…
You: ” not everyone leaves mid season…”
Again, NCAA bylaws prohibits players from leaving the program without serving a full academic year. And “..university releases scholarship”? Are kidding me? Your ignorance proves once again, MOST bama fans never attended bama..
There are multiple ways to attend college without a athletic scholly…
*you
Well no sh** there are other ways to attend college without a scholly you a**hole. You are referring to Hurd here, right? You think he’s going to some school where he has to pay for his degree and play football? Right…
And do you feel better about yourself posting on here? Does it make you feel big and bad trying to ‘talk’ down to people behind that keyboard like you know everything there is to know about everything? You must of been the kid everyone hated in high school and probably still hates…
You are one dumb dude.
You: “Well no sh** there are other ways to attend college without a scholly you a**hole. You are referring to Hurd here, right? You think he’s going to some school where he has to pay for his degree and play football? Right…”
Your earlier statement: “And he can leave midseason if the University releases his scholarship.”
My reply: HURD CAN NOT LEAVE THE SCHOOL THIS SEASON (NEXT SEMESTER) DUE TO NCAA BYLAWS!!!! Unless you are referring to him dropping out of school. Lol No, nobody would do that but you.
You:”And do you feel better about yourself posting on here? Does it make you feel big and bad trying to ‘talk’ down to people behind that keyboard like you know everything there is to know about everything? You must of been the kid everyone hated in high school and probably still hates…” Lol what is “must of” *must have?
My reply: I can’t help how you feel dude. They pay therapist good money if you need help feeling a certain way….
But since we are making assumptions, you must be the kid who either peaked in, or never graduated high school.
Get back to stocking dog food at Walmart in T-shirt town ,and leave this site to the people with at least half a brain.
Do you feel better about yourself now?
I’ve always leaked confidence.
Awwwwwwww Do you need me to let you win an argument to help your self-worth?
Ha, yeah, your childish insults just exude confidence!
Awwww look how far the mental midget drifted away from the actual argument; he couldn’t substantiate any points so now we are on this huge tangent.
Awwwww
And He’s still an angry dwarf Just saying
Spurrier did so much for the program it was nearly impossible to be mad at him. Yes, I wish and others do too, that he would have left at a more appropriate time. He cared about the program, the recruiting, the promises to players/and what he may have said to keep the recruits coming. He was out of gas, and wasn’t up for a few rebuilding years.
Seem funny that he only ran out of gas when uscjr started losing
“Bye, Felicia!” To Jalen Turd. Losing Kamara hurts more.
ironic how the same sports media who hyped this kid up are the same ones that are being critical of his departure
I have Noticed since Hurds injury (whatever it was) his playing time has become less an less. In 2nd half of S.C. game he never got back onto the playing field. To me – there is more going on than is being put out here for us to see. Believe problem is deeper than being let on.
Well, I have no idea what to say about this. As in all things, there are the two sides and somewhere in the middle lies the truth. I don’t understand why he transferred now. He is a junior, over half the season is gone. Why not wait until the end of the season, then leave early for the NFL. He is good enough to get a combine invite so I can’t really see how this benefits him at all.
College football is about money. Those of us who love the game see it as much more but it is and has been a business. Predominantly it is the institutions and the coaching staffs that reap the rewards of that business while fans and taxpayers foot the bill. I’m a Vol but I get why Jalen is transferring. It’s the same reason programs fire coaches mid-season. If you’re going to make a change might as well do it now. And he will pay a price by having to sit out. it seems hypocritical to ask more from 20 year olds than we do from the coaches and administrators.
Being fired mid season and quitting mid season are totally different…
John Crist whining about Jalen Hurd is everything that’s wrong with Gen X. A generational disease? Typical millennial fashion? This write-up is filled with so much bitterness and hyperbole from a guy who’s only about 5 years removed from the Millennial Generation himself. Regardless of how we feel about Hurd, your desperation to paint Hurd as a petulant child makes you come off as the childish one throwing a tantrum in the end, Crist.
I understand he is upset. I understand there are probably problems in the locker room. But there are multiple parties at fault. Debords offense is inexcusably anemic. Our S/C coach must be doing something wrong due to all these injuries. And top talent has barely developed over the years. But finish the stinking year. I enjoyed the past 3 years watching him, but now he has to live with his decision. It may be what’s best for him, but that is not necessarily the best character decision. See ya. We will move on without you. Now on to Tennessee Tech.
So, if you were promised a promotion if you stayed with your company and then they completely went the other way, you would stick around and not “do what’s best for (you) him”? No one likes losing star players but doing what’s best for him is exactly what he should be doing. This is a 3-4 year job interview and he’s hardly seeing the field. For UT fans, this stings. For HURD, this is a smart move. He can start mid-way through the season at his next school.
Being a UT fan it actually does not really sting as much as people think. He is dead last in the SEC at Yards per carry. Yes people can say our O Line has been rough this year due to injuries, but how is Kamara and Kelly out doing him? Hurd is a freak athlete that should be putting up numbers like crazy. People are also saying Hurd is dragging 5 players, but if you look close it iss when he is already stopped. He is hard headed enough not to go down when he is not going anywhere. He gets hit by one and does not break the tackle. Big difference between dragging people for yards and just not going down because you want to look high and mighty but not getting positive yards.
He will only be able to play 4 games next year. Check it out.
Why?
Hurd, Go with Kiffen!! He quit us to!!
It amazes me how crazy fans are. This young man is attempting to make it to the NFL. I see nothing wrong with transferring. If you had a better job opportunity, would you worry about your company or yourself? If another company will pay you more and feature your best abilities, you’d grind it out based on principle and be loyal to the company? This young man hasn’t even begun to earn his money yet, and we won’t if he is not featured in the offense. Schools make millions off of student athlete “labor” and then want to be upset when they do what’s best for them. I see nothing wrong. The knife cuts both ways. As an Aggie we lost 2 quarterbacks and gained a graduate transfer. Gotta take the good with the bad.
I agree with you. If you do not want to be there you should be able to transfer. I have just been saying Hurd is not a saint at Tennessee. If it is not his way it is the highway or in this case transferring. I am all for him transferring and making us a better team. Why would a team want someone who does not buy in with his teammates? It gets overused a lot, but that is a cancer for a team.
On your job analogy – would you quit in the middle of a project, when quitting might cost other workers their jobs or at least performance? If you are preparing for a better job, your prospective employer also looks to see if you might be a quitter. If you are, they don’t need you.
Of course he can leave mid-season, but this is not necessarily good for him.
If I was working on a project for free while my boss made $4 million dollars, yes. Hurd doesn’t owe Jones anything.
What about his teammates?
And you are not working for free, you’re getting a pretty awesome Education to play football, a sport you love playing, let’s not spin it now.
Another “Rebuilding” year???
This is quite comical coming from a Mizzou fan. Just enjoy the ride and be thankful you all are still not in “whatever is going on in the BIG 12” show
Totally agree with everything here. Chubb is in a similar situation and you don’t see him bailing on his teammates.
Everybody here is forgetting one very important thing about this article. John is an idiot and usually doesnt know what he’s talking about.
Can’t wait to see how you, John Crist, reacts when your son or daughter encounters a negative situation with school/academics. We’ll remember your righteous indignation.
This!!!! As if he’d tell a son or daughter, who feels the same way Hurd does, to honor their commitment. FOH!
If my son were ever in his shoes, I’d tell him to finish the season. He thinks he’ll just immediately get the starting gig after 8 games into a season with another team?
He’ll get a starting gig. No doubt.
Overreaction. Also, I don’t remember seeing this article when the QB transfers at A&M were occurring. The entitlement issues they had were exponentially worse than anything Hurd has exhibited.
^^^Bingo!!!!!
Maybe because they announced they were transferring after or before the season??
No idiot, it was before our bowl game! And guess what, they were still at Texas A&M (due to NCAA bylaws) the spring of 2016!
Do you understand now..?
Regular season was over with when they announced
Your point? LOL
The only way Jalen Hurd is not at UT during the spring of 2017 without facing an NCAA bylaw violation is if he drops out of school. But hey, according to the moronic ReTard819, screw financial aid agreements, free college tuition, and drop out and work at Walmart forever.
Haha, you must be really insecure with yourself throwing out insults behind a keyboard on a sports blog post…
My point was that they waited until after the regular season to ANNOUNCE they were transferring which is probably why there were no articles about the QB’s that left A&M, unlike Jalen, that announced he was transferring midseason. Not arguing here whether or not they were still in school in Spring of 2016 or Jalen will be at UT in 2017.
LOL!!!
I stopped reading after your first line of ignorance. You have yet to substantiate a point with empirical evidence.
How many hours are you getting this week at Walmart bro? I hope they are treating you good. ;)
Just a few hours at Walmart this week, hoping to get about 20 in next though! Fingers crossed!
Butch Jones makes $4.11 million a year off the labor of Hurd and his teammates. Hurd makes nothing. Jones can get hired by a better school and get replaced by someone who could cut any player he wants. If you don’t want players who are just looking out for themselves, we should start making sure that coaches and ADs are looking out for players.
This is everything that is right with America. An individual excersising their individual rights. If the team no longer serves his purpose the situation is no longer mutually beneficial. He should leave as soon as possible and I would advise every young man who feels the same to do the same. If you can’t meet your goals where you are get to where you can as soon as possible. You have a VERY short window to achieve your goals ESPECIALLY when they are sports related.
Exactly. College is about learning what you need to learn to excel at the next level. If it was about his education no one would say a word, but since it is about his football education everyone wants to say he shouldn’t do this or that. He should do whatever he thinks is best for him in his pursuit of the career that he is trying his best to get into. Just like any other student would.
I disagree. You are playing for a team, not yourself. You don’t put up good numbers without a team He should act like a leader and try to rally his team together for the rest of the season. If he wants to leave after the season he committed to playing, that’s fine, but finish what you started, not quite because you aren’t getting ‘your numbers’.
It’s everything wrong with America, the whole ‘what can you do for me’ attitude, not ‘what can I do for you’. There is a possibility to help both parties achieve the goal with the latter, but not much hope to help both parties with the former attitude. Selfish millennial BS attitude.
Why should he stay in a situation that is no longer beneficial for him? If you could make more money at a new job would you leave immediately or stay through the end of the fiscal year to support your current team and manager because they depend on you? You would most likely leave immediately. Then your old Jon would find a replacement for you. UT is going to do the EXACT same thing. Stop giving this young man grief for making the best decision for HIM!
Does he have another ‘job’ lined up? Where’s he going? Why not wait until the end of the season? Most people quit when they have something already lined up.
You just assume you are going to start 8 games into next season with a big time D1 program?? I wouldn’t want someone with that presumptuous of an attitude on my team…
Chippy
This is the best thing for Tennessee’s program
Hurd has been a distraction all season.
Tennessee will move on and be a better team without Hurd
I just hope it is after Kentucky pounds Tennessee’s a$$ in the dirt
Lock that up
Everything is about the “NFL” with the players these days. Hurt is not an NFL running back. He like Lenard Forte of LSU needs a fullback to clear the hole. He is too long legged to cut and reverse field quickly. Perhaps if he puts on 20lbs , he could be a good tight end? Who knows………..Tennessee offensive line is made up of 2A and 3A recruits. This bunch will NEVER clear out Alabama, Auburn, etc defenders for any running back. Ole Miss has the same problem…..just cannot recruit enough quality athletes to compete for a full season. Ole Miss did lay 43 pts on the Tide something Tennessee’s offensive could NEVER do, but the Rebels had Chad Kelly who is a true Warrior. Butch must find an offensive coordinator from the Big 12 to make Tennessee football fun to watch again.
When you can’t run over them, you must go around and throw over them! Offensive linemen who can block stud linemen from Alabama are few and far between. But big guys who can pass block are plentiful. Go big 12 with your offense and shore up your defense! Then the Tide might be yours someday:) Go Vols-Don’t turn on Butch yet.
Does this mean he’s not gonna win the Heisman ? It’s all Derek Dooley’s fault.
LOL
You name a couple of players who made personal decisions you don’t agree with and “that’s” what is wrong with College football? Crist, you’re a short-sighted, narrow minded cry baby! You have no idea what all went on with these young men or the conversations/promises made but you jump to the asinine conclusion that this “is what’s wrong with College football”? Nevermind the other thousands who play the game, but two do something you don’t like and college football collectively has a problem! What a complete and utter moron you are!
Dude! YOU’RE what’s wrong with “sports writers”! Not all, but some of you panty waist keyboard pussies are so socially inept, all you’re good for is criticizing others from a safe distance behind an Internet device!
Oh, the irony.
Think he has any idea? Lol
Fellow Tiger, never read/met/heard of Crist until today. But you contravene your otherwise sagacious syllogisms by the invidious invectives and ad homonyms. Have the guts to man-up yourself and write for a publication, ANY, publication you dim…see how easy pejoratives are? Takes a strong hand and stronger will to refrain and attack at the point of observations made by any author. Having done so myself (written and published publically , I welcome your repartee provided you can lose the Achilles heel of most Cajuns…they open their mouths and speak!
Somebody found their thesaurus. You sound like that douche in “Good Will Hunting” that tried to impress Minnie Driver by talking down to others.
HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?
I’ll write slowly as I know you’re a slow reader. Again, a dullard expressing inane disgust with the one that attempts to keep the focus on issues and arguments, and the kindergarten “O yeah, you’re another one” banter off the board. Castigate, oops sorry, reprimand, oops sorry again, cut…me…down…all…you…want, as you’ve only proven my original point, as well as proven why you are so fluent with the word douche, ma’am!
Translation: BRING IT!
What’s funny is the leading rusher in the SEC wasn’t even a starter in the first two games of the season. Moral of the story is, don’t quit what you start!!!!!
Not sure how many D1 athletes have posted here, but I can tell you that I was a 6-time D1 champion in track and I coached for two years. I can’t stomach Jalen’s decision because of what he’s doing to his teammates. Transfers are an option for players for a number of legitimate reasons, but not when you’re in the middle of a season and claiming that the coaches did not cater to your “style of play.” Jalen will and should be considered toxic by any self-respecting program. What if they don’t let Jalen make the decision to run an I-formation set that favors HIS style. No way. Whether Butch told him he intended to run one scheme or another is irrelevant. Coaches make those decisions not players; and Butch Jones doesn’t owe him a damn thing. Jalen is getting a full ride at a fantastic university. He’s also made mistakes on the field that show he lacks maturity in the SEC let alone the NFL. Showboating and losing the ball at the goal line; anyone remember that? Grow the hell up, Jalen.
^^ this, thank you.
On point 100%. This was Team 119 for Tennessee, not Team 119 featuring Jalen Hurd. Life won’t always produce roses, sometimes it takes a commitment to something more than just your own desires. The kid is less than 500 yards from TN’ s all time rushing mark in 3 years, and he chooses to walk? It’s nothing but a pure cop out for his lack of dedication. Suck it up buttercup, I continued playing with a compression fracture of 6 vertebrae with nothing awaiting me at finish. We all played through pain, injuries are something different. There is no medical cure for a grown man and his bleeding vagina. I wish him the best, but have popcorn ready to watch other teams want no part of this toxicity in a year.
LOL, except Butch Jones DOES owe him a damn thing. You recruit a kid based on certain promises and he chooses your programs based on those promises – you need to fulfill those promises, otherwise you’re wasting a kid’s playing time for your own interests.
Butch Jones owes his TEAM, not just one guy. If he made promises to him, that’s an issue you take up at the end of the season and Jalen can leave then if he wants to, but wait until the end of the season. There are still 4 games left, why not try to rally your team together and finish the season out like a true leader would, not just have the ‘poor me, I’m not getting the right looks that I was promised!’ attitude.
Hurd likewise doesn’t owe Jones a damn thing. He doesn’t owe the AD a damn thing. He doesn’t owe the fans a damn thing.
What about his team he’s quitting on?? Doesn’t he owe them to at least finish out the season?
Maybe they quit on him. The way they have been playing since the Alabama game, it certainly looks like that.
I’m a Tennessee student and fan, and I completely understand and support Hurd’s decision. The way we play Hurd doesn’t utilize his skills and athleticism and places him at risk of injury. We insist on running him up the middle, despite a weak O-line, and he is crushed by virtually every player on the opposing defense at once. This has led a lower body injury this season and prevented him from playing to his full potential. This isn’t the result of a selfish player; its the result of stubborn coach who refuses to adjust his preferred style of play to reflect the talent he has.
While I am not a fan of Deborg’s playcalling, quitting on your team in the middle of a game is an outright disgrace. Something else smells fishy to me here as well. Either you want to be used in an I-formation, or you want to be a Tight End/Wide Receiver. You can’t tell both stories all at the same time and be telling the truth about them all. The fact that he wanted to wear #1 on his jersey, says alot about the player and his priorities. I agree with the writer in the fact that I think Jalen Hurd is getting some bad advice from his friends/family/etc. that are planning on riding his coattails straight to the NFL. Unfortunately, I think even Hurd has realized that an I-formation running back in the NFL is a dying breed and his draft possibilities were diminishing by the second. Character is who you are when you are down, not who you are when you are on top. I think we just saw the character of Jalen Hurd.
While I agree with you that it is shameful that he just quit the team like this, I hate to tell you that it will be very difficult to make your kids stick with something when they don’t want to, especially if they are 20 years old. You have a 1 and a 3 year old, easy peasy. Just wait and see ;)
Maybe so, but his decision not only revealed his lack of respect for his brethren on the team (all of whom shed the same blood, sweat, and tears in both victory and defeat), he futhered this b.s. entitled mindset for his young fans who admired him. It sets a terrible example of taking the easy out when facing obstacles. The young man sees only $$ signs, and I hate to say it, the lack of fortitude and resolve to finish the season will be his legacy. He will re-enroll in school undoubtedly, and has the size for WR/TE without question. Hell, maybe Cleveland wants another whining primadonna, they already jettisoned the other, and have a position to fill.
You’re good-ole-boy rant is frivolous. You are judging without understanding the situation entirely. I feel like I just read a rant by some generic billy-bob on a message board.
you did. lol
It all started when hen tenn thought they deserved something better and fired Fat Phulmer! Georgia fan are going to be in the same boat! Muschamp is looking better every day!!😂
We beat you.
Based on how UGA has looked the last three weeks, it’ll be a long time before you can say that to someone else.
Did I hear something about stale, stagnant offensive scheme?
If Lyle Jones lied to him, which probably happened, he doesn’t owe them anything. Good Luck Mr. Hurd, hopefully you will find a program were you enjoy playing.
As a business owner who used to work for other people for mediocre pay, I say screw what this journalist says about “in true millennial style”. You have to look after your own interests. Being loyal only gets your so far.
Only gets you* so far.
I agree with that.
I get what you are saying, but going with the whole business analogy, most people quit jobs after they have something in hand – Hurd’s just assuming he’ll go to a big time D1 school and start after 8 games next season?! Come on, that’s pretty presumptuous, don’t you think? I wouldn’t want someone that has a toxic attitude to come play for me, regardless of how talented he is, it’s about attitude as much as skill. At least wait until the end of the season and finish what you started.
Watch how hungry some teams are to get a good player. He’ll get scooped up pretty quickly if he fits their program and they need a fast plug’n play. Most college football teams will dump a player at the drop of a hat is it is advantageous to them. Why should a player not be just as mercenary? We’ll see what happens next year.
Wrong with college football or wrong with UT football?
Congratulations to Jalen, this year’s shoo-in recipient of the Bobby Petrino Quitter of the Year award.
The tie-in between Jalen’s actions and the millennial entitlement syndrome is spot on. Those that thought the 80s and 90s “Me Generation” was bad ain’t seen nothin’ yet. This bail-out, combined with Hurd’s goal-line hot-dogging gaffe in Athens, tells me everything I need to know about his character. The Vols may miss his ability, but they’re better off in the long run without him in the locker room.
That dang Derek Dooley threw a brick into Tennessee’ s ‘Pixie Dust’
Blake Barnett beat Hurd to the punch by 4 weeks.
OK, close second maybe. Jalen at least was seeing the field as a starter.
Believe it or not, driving for your personal ambitions (an NFL payday) does not trump sticking with your team through the end of the season. Jalen will accomplish nothing by quitting now that he wouldn’t have 30 minutes after UT’s bowl game is complete. Offensive philosophical differences, my ass. Whatever disagreements he and Butch might have had regarding his role, this came to a head when he tried to showboat in Athens and was royally and righteously slobberknocked for his trouble, coughing up a sure TD. I’m guessing his simmering victim mentality wouldn’t allow him to accept responsibility for this game-changing blunder, and Butch wasn’t taking no for an answer.
I am absolute agreement.
Football is a team sport. You win as a team, you lose as a team. You play to your assignment from your coach. You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it. You don’t like the position you are playing, well then go sit your butt on the bench. I am sure there is someone else on the team that will be happy to take your place.
I am so tired of this entitlement mentality!
Sitting on the bench or sitting at home. What is the difference? If they are not playing him in the position they promised him or needlessly putting him in a career ending situation by running him up the middle without the proper blockers, he has not only the right, but the financial obligation to look out for his long term best interests.
That’s not their only award this year! UT also won this year’s Prozac© Moral Victory Bowl!
Except college is about finding the place which can better prepare you for your future. If he feels UT ain’t that, let him go.
That said, I do think he should have finished the season.
Also, it’s very funny seeing so many people criticize Jalen’s sense of entitlement while showing a clear sense of being entitled to players who aren’t getting any compensation.
He’s from Tennessee so this applies…
in-state tuition and fees are $11,948 (out of state is $30,138) (2015-16);
Typical Room & Board $10,296
Typical Cost of Books $1,582
Tutors- (couldn’t find this stat)
Unlimited Meals 7 days/week + 300 Dining Dollars, Meal Plan – $1827 per semester.
So depending on whether or not the athlete in in or out of state it’s as little as 110K and up to 183K for four years per scholarship athlete. Oh, a potentially a 4 year degree from a upper level University that allows for making money for a lifetime.
Note how relatively often this has happened to Tennessee, especially worthy quality, proven players and students.
Besides praying that Jalen reconsiders, we need to inspect what the coaches and “university system” is doing or not doing to drive our players away.
I take it none of you watched the App State game…they ran ALOT of I-formation in that game. This goes back to being benched for Kamara in
I take it none of you watched the App State game, there was ALOT of I-formation in that game. Yet he barely squeaked out 100 yds…against and 3rd tier conference team. This all started after he was benched for showboating and losing the fumble in the FL game. Kamara is and has been the better back, hell check last years numbers. I’m happy for the guy, but good riddance. I’m happier the Kelly II is FINALLY getting his chance.
Rocky Flop
how’d the 38 unanswered points taste. Sweety
The nerve of Jalen Hurd… comes across like a Trump supporter – entitled and self-centered. Let’s make college football great again.
Everything is right in cfb when Bama blows out the viles, they lose to South cackalacky,lol,to players quitting on the team, to finger pointing, to talk of firing coaches. I’m loving it. LOL
I recall a no. 14 Gamecock team took down a no. 1 Bama team in 2010 at Williams-Brice stadium. I don’t recall anyone transferring, Saban being in the hot seat, or anyone blaming anyone else. Gotta love this Rocky Top entertainment! Thanks Tennessee, maybe as your program continues to flow down river, and you lose recruits, they can transfer their commitment to USC, get fired up with Muschamp, and point their fingers up – after scoring a touchdown for the Gamecocks.
Why in God’s name would anyone want to transfer to that coastal cesspool
“despise this entire generation of college football players” You sound like a tool, lumping everyone together like that. Auburn’s Montravius Adams would have gone for a 1st or 2nd round draft pick to the NFL after last season, but stuck around to finish out his senior year. As far as Hurd goes, as a writer, you have no idea what transpired between him and his coaches. Learn how to write objectively.
Happy we could add to the Tennessee breakdown, and inversely, the rise of our young QB, Bentley. Ah, any chance they were overrated? That UGA was overrated? I say yes. I also know the Gamecocks have a long way to go, but that’s part of the ride. All that matters is we keep progressing, keep these new recruits coming (looking at you no. 10 recruiting class of 17′).
As far as Hurd choosing to leave, you can’t help but feel like it was influenced by the fact that they lost to Bama(Hurd: alright kinda expected), lost to A&M (Hurd: ouch that game was so close, but we’re okay and A&M is a good team), lose to Gamecocks (Hurd: All time low, playoff hopes decimated, what the hell happened? Why don’t I get the ball more, I’m the man-are you kidding me??I’m outta here).
Maybe the coaches did promise him more carries and an offense catered towards him. I don’t really care, I don’t consider this “quitting”. He is transferring, not hanging up his cleats. In an ideal world he would have waited until the last game, but time is money for a guy like this(one who is trying to get to the NFL and optimize). He needs to show out, show what he can do to increase his stock in the draft; get drafted higher, get a better contract, more opportunity. Also for him to make this move is a big deal for him. This is not a knee-jerk reaction. Despite how he feels about the coaches, he is a junior and is comfortable in Knoxville and undoubtedly is close with players on the team and others. So he reached his breaking point, and made a decision that is best for him, and let’s be real – college is to get you ready for a career, no? So for a guy headed for the NFL this is his preparation right? Thought so.
Last thing: for those of you who say “blah blah, it’s all about the NFL for these players blah.” Take a look at the stats. With 12% of eligible draftees from the power five conferences being drafted in 2015; (200(power5Drafted)/1,710(drafteesEligible))= 11.7% of the players eligible were drafted from power 5 conferences. In 2015, 54 eligible players drafted (54 is 2015 SEC drafted number, in 2016 it’s 51) coming from the SEC (54actualDraftedSEC/(342averageEligibleDrafteeNumberPerPowerConference)= 15.8% of the eligible draftees going to the NFL. So only 15.8% of eligible SEC players. These numbers are *not* including all the guys that are not eligible; so all the players not 3 years out of high school yet. So what’s the point? Yes, there is a select elite who are aligning themselves for the NFL if need be, but everyone else is focused on the 4 years they have! The guys lucky enough to play in the power 5, in the SEC, are focused on the here and now, on these games. For most that is all they have left, and even for those going pro-they love playing college football. Hurd has simply decided UT is not in his best interest, and he’d like to take his year of eligibility to someone who will use it a bit more. Cheers.