Before star Alabama freshman Jalen Hurts became the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide, he fought a three-way battle with redshirt freshman Blake Barnett and redshirt junior Cooper Bateman for the job. In Alabama’s first game against USC on September 3rd, Barnett was named starter and took the snaps for Bama’s first few possessions. With the Tide down 3-0 with 2:44 left in the 1st quarter, in came Hurts, and in his first snap, did this…
Alabama QB Jalen Hurts fumbles the ball, and Cameron Smith recovers! USC takes over on the Alabama 48. pic.twitter.com/12Xb2uWceR
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) September 4, 2016
Here are some tweets from right after the fumble…
https://twitter.com/sds/status/772235774087557120
I'm guessing that's the last we see of Jalen Hurts for a little while.
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) September 4, 2016
See you in 2017, Jalen Hurts.
— Travis Haney (@travhaney) September 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/alexander1great/status/772235493253742592
And that was the last we ever saw of Jalen Hurts… https://t.co/NCMGiIpEsq
— Jon Lunceford (@jlunce) September 4, 2016
Well Blake Barnett is about to get some more reps now after that.
— Evan Barnes (@evan_b) September 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/sbnationcfb/status/772235444788625408
That Hurts. Back to the bench.
— Matt Barrie (@MattBarrie) September 4, 2016
They burned Jalen Hurts' redshirt for that.
— Matt Hinton (@MattRHinton) September 4, 2016
Jalen Hurts is no Jacob Eason. First play for Alabama he fumbles… USC recovers
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 4, 2016
But even after the fumble, Bama. Coach Nick Saban stuck with the true freshman, and was rewarded handsomely. Beginnng on his 3rd possession Hurts dominated the rest of the game en route to 52-6 Alabama rout. His final numbers…
True freshman QB Jalen Hurts was the star of the show tonight for the Tide. pic.twitter.com/RCZehBrBXp
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 4, 2016
The 14-0 Crimson Tide will play Clemson tonight for the National Championship in Tampa.
