Alabama football head coach Nick Saban can sometimes come off as brusque in interviews with reporters, but when you get him talking about something or someone he is passionate about, the Bama legend can go on for a while.
So it's pretty clear how Saban feels about new Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Saban was asked during media availability this week about Hurts, who is stepping into an unusual situation here in Philly with the benching of Carson Wentz, and how he thinks Hurts will handle that dynamic and also the football side of things.
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SIGN UP HERE Saban had nothing but excellent things to say about the Birds' new QB:
"The guy's got great character, he's as fine a person as we've ever had in the program, he's a very good leader, he's a hard worker, he's well-liked by his teammates, winning was important to him. He wanted to do whatever he had to do to try and help his team have a chance to win.
"I think he probably went through a much more difficult circumstance here in terms of, being 26-2 or whatever he was as a starter and someone else starting in his place. And then he had to take that person's place in the SEC championship game, and go in and win the game. And come from behind to do it.
"He's been in a lot of tough circumstances, and he was very supportive. When he was the guy, he was supportive of the guy behind him. When that guy became the man, he was very supportive of him, when [Hurts] had to sit behind him.
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"And he was also working really hard in the backup role so he could improve and get better, so he could have a chance to play in the NFL someday. He really took advantage of that. When he went to Oklahoma, I thought he was a better passer, and really did a lot of things really, really well.
"He's just a good person, and I feel bad for you all in Philadelphia if you haven't had a chance to meet him, because he's a guy that's really easy to fall in love with, that's for sure. He's a great person, and he's got a great family."
That all sounds like pretty exciting stuff to me.
Saban's point there at the end about Philly not really knowing Hurts is true, and also so strange. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reporters haven't been allowed into the Eagles' locker room on a daily basis the way they would've in previous years. When Hurts spoke to the media after Sunday's loss to the Packers, it was the first time he talked to Eagles reporters since the summer.
Which means Eagles fans will essentially get to know their new starting quarterback in real time, beginning Sunday afternoon against the Saints. That normally doesn't happen!
But if Saban is to be believed, the moment shouldn't be too big for No. 2.
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