Jalen Hurts illustrates his favorite college football memory

Since he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, there have been long battles between Alabama and Oklahoma over the rights to Jalen Hurts' college legacy.

Every college student has countless memories along the way, and although Hurts received more praise and recognition during his brief time at Oklahoma in 2020, he recently revealed that his fondest college football memory comes from early in his three-year season at Alabama.

“My fondest memory of college football is the beginning of it all when I enrolled early,” Hurts said in an Eagles Q&A session. “Immediately, I was thrust into the role of quarterback on the scout team as a senior in high school. I was the quarterback on the scout team. I played against Deshaun Watson on the scout team.”

The moment Hurts is referring to occurred just before Alabama faced Clemson in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship. The second-seeded Crimson Tide later defeated the first-seeded Tigers 45-40.

“I learned a lot quickly,” Hurts said. “I earned respect so quickly, but it was very challenging. But it was fun. I think that was probably the best part for me, my favorite memory, because I made a lot of good friends. I earned their respect at a young age.”

As mentioned, Hurts spent three years at Alabama and was the starter his freshman and sophomore years. In those two years, he totaled 4,861 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes. Hurts also ran for 1,809 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.

Hurts had an overall record of 27-2, but the turning point of his college career was the 2018 National Championship against Georgia. Hurts was benched after trailing 13-0 at halftime, and backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led an all-time 26-23 victory.

Tagovailoa was the starter in Hurts' junior season, meaning his career with the Tide was likely over. However, the SEC Championship Game changed that story.

Hurts came on midway through the fourth quarter for Tagovailoa, who was down 28-21 due to injury. Hurts threw the game-winning touchdown with five minutes left and then ran for the game-winning touchdown with just over a minute left. It was one of the most emotional moments of the Saban era and shaped Hurts' legacy at Alabama.

Knowing that Tagovailoa would be starting Hurts' final season, he transferred to Oklahoma, where he threw for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns. Hurts finished the season as the Heisman Trophy runner-up.