Well, this is certainly one way for the quarterback conundrum in Tuscaloosa to play out and potentially benefit all sides involved.
Given the fact that true sophomore Tua Tagovailoa has all but grabbed the starting quarterback job at Alabama by the throat and shows no signs of loosening his grip, speculation of late has true junior Jalen Hurts, the two-year starter at the position heading into 2018, deciding to take a redshirt this season. The redshirt tack is rumored to be the preferred option of Hurts’ family, including a father who proclaimed this past offseason that his son would “be the biggest free agent in college football history” if he lost out on the starting job.
According to Aaron Suttles, former beat writer for the Tuscaloosa News turned The Athletic writer, there is an agreement in place between Hurts and the Alabama football program that will allow the quarterback to take a redshirt for the 2018 season, provided Tagovailoa doesn’t go down with an injury.
Our own @AaronSuttles tells us expect Jalen Hurts to be redshirted this season unless Tua is injured. @3ManFront pic.twitter.com/xthD6kKr8P
— Pat Smith (@patsmithradio) September 7, 2018
Hurts appeared in Alabama’s season-opening romp over Louisville last weekend. Thanks to a new NCAA rule implemented this year, players can appear in up to four games in a season and still retain the ability to take a redshirt; it appears the rumored agreement between the Hurts’ and the football program is that Jalen will not play in any more than three additional games this season unless Tagovailoa is injured.
If Hurts eventually takes a redshirt for the 2018 season, he would then have two years of eligibility that he could use beginning in 2019. As Hurts is scheduled to graduate from Alabama in December, he would also be eligible immediately at another FBS school, including any member of the SEC. (Hello Auburn?)
It’s expected that No. 3 quarterback and three-star 2017 signee Mac Jones will get the first shot at mop-up reps if, as anticipated, Alabama overwhelms Arkansas State in its Week 2 matchup later today. Should Jones appear and Hurts doesn’t, it would be an obvious sign that the redshirt plan is in full effect -- and signed off on by Nick Saban.
