Jalen Hurts primed to be Lincoln Riley’s next Heisman Trophy winner

1. Hurts took tremendous strides as a passer in 2018

Hurts didn’t spend the year sulking on the sidelines when he lost out in the QB competition with Tua; instead, he spent the season watching and learning, working his tail off behind the scenes to prove his doubters wrong. He got better.

Working with a full-time QB coach in Dan Enos for the first time in his collegiate career, Hurts took massive strides as a junior in Tuscaloosa.

It’s fair to question the raw numbers because of the majority of his snaps coming when he games were well in hand, but he was much more accurate, and believed in his ability to make the throws more than he ever had in his first two seasons. He wasn’t simply a one-read QB anymore; he examined defenses and worked his progressions, most notably on several crucial throws against Georgia in Atlanta.

Hurts completed 73 percent of his passes this season for 765 yards and eight touchdowns to just two interceptions. His 196.7 QB rating was the third most efficient mark in the nation behind only Tua Tagovailoa and Kyler Murray.

Hurts’ sophomore season in 2017 was frustrating for those expecting a big jump, but the coaching staff deserves to bare some of that blame. Hurts was asked to be a game manager in both of his seasons starting for Alabama, with the thought that the roster was talented enough to win a National Championship as long as the offense didn’t turn the ball over.

Nick Saban attached training wheels to Hurts, and refused to open-up the playbook with him under-center. He also spent his sophomore season under an offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll who did not know how to maximize his talents the way Lane Kiffin did in 2016.

Hurts did what was asked of him, and it mostly worked with the Crimson Tide winning 26 of his 28 starts and making consecutive National Championships. They needed Tua to get them over the top, but Jalen led them to the Promised Land both times.

Those issues won’t follow him to Norman as he now goes to play for a coach who is an offensive savant, and will consistently put him in position to make big plays. Hurts may not be the passer Mayfield or Murray were, but he’s still an excellent fit for the Sooners with an arm that has come a long way.

Oklahoma is perfect fit for Hurts, and he should put up big numbers that push the Sooners back toward the playoff, while also potentially becoming their third consecutive Heisman Trophy winner.