It’s now official. Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts will not be redshirting his 2018 season, even as he sits in the backup role behind Tide starter Tua Tagovailoa. During the Tide’s blowout game against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 29, Hurts entered the game for Tagovailoa, meaning Hurts has now appeared in five games this season, making him ineligible to take a redshirt year ahead of his potential transfer for 2019.
Jalen Hurts will officially keep playing for Bama in 2018, at least
The junior won’t be redshirting this season after all.
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Hurts scored a 54-yard touchdown pass on the possession to give his team a 35-0 lead at the time.
Thanks to the NCAA’s new redshirt rule passed last summer, Hurts would’ve been able to play in four games this season and still redshirt.
Earlier in September, Aaron Suttles of the The Athletic and WJOX95 reported that Hurts would redshirt the 2018 season, unless Tagovailoa got hurt early in the season.
Hurts played briefly in Alabama’s 51-14 win over Louisville Week 1, completing five passes for 70 yards. But it’s not like Hurts has been completely on the bench throughout the season — he scored four combined touchdowns against Ole Miss and Arkansas State.
Hurts redshirting would’ve made some sense — he could’ve transferred to play immediately in 2019 with two years remaining, if he’d also graduated.
But now the junior isn’t going anywhere for the rest of the season.
This is the direct opposite of what Clemson QB Kelly Bryant did this season — after head coach Dabo Swinney named true freshman Trevor Lawrence as the Tigers’ starter in Week 5, Bryant announced he’d be transferring from the program with an additional year of eligibility, due to taking a 2018 redshirt.
At the end of the day, this is ultimately Hurts’ decision, and he’s chosen to stay with Alabama for 2018, at least.
Obviously Tagovailoa has the reins, but that doesn’t mean Hurts isn’t still be part of the Tide’s offense. And now that he’s officially staying in Tuscaloosa this season, who knows how many other game plans can be drawn up with Hurts under center this year?
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