Greg McElroy says both Alabama, Oklahoma can claim Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had an outstanding breakout season this year, leading the Eagles to Super Bowl LVII behind his arm and legs. His NFL success has led to two college football fan bases and programs wanting to lay invest stock and claim Hurts as one of their own, Oklahoma and Alabama. Hurts spent three seasons with the Crimson Tide before transferring to Norman to play a season for the Sooners.

Former Alabama quarterback and college football analyst Greg McElroy settled the debate on who can claim Hurts on a recent episode of Always College Football.

“They can both claim him because he started and was a Heisman finalist at Oklahoma, he was at Alabama for three years and started in a national championship game, two national championship games that he started in,” McElroy said.

Hurts was a part of Alabama’s three national championship appearances between 2016-2018, infamously being benched at halftime for Tua Tagovailoa in the 2018 title game where they secured a comeback victory after being the starter the whole season.

In his lone season with the Sooners, he had the best statistical season of his college career, throwing for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdown passes along with 1,298 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground. His success and contribution at both schools led to McElroy drawing a comparison to another NFL quarterback who claims two colleges.

“So look, I’m all for Jalen Hurts taking the approach of Russell Wilson who when he comes on Sunday Night Football he says a whole pack of badgers. Why? Because he’s NC State and he’s Wisconsin. Why? He played at both, he started at both,” McElroy explained. “I think these two schools, Oklahoma and Alabama, they have a legitimate argument to be made that he played and started games for their schools.”

McElroy also made a point that it doesn’t apply to every two-school athlete, using Joe Burrow as an example despite him playing at Ohio State and LSU and never made a single start with the Buckeyes. But in McElroy’s eyes, the Sooner and Crimson Tide fanbases will have to share Hurts and have joint custody of their dual-threat NFL star quarterback in the making.

“So the Burrow thing, absolutely, 100% he is an LSU Tiger. Jalen, I think Bama fans and Oklahoma fans for that matter should be comfortable sharing him,” McElroy said.