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Oklahoma football: Jalen Hurts named starting QB

By Christopher Dukes

MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 29: Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 29: Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Oklahoma football made an official announcement Monday afternoon, naming Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts the starting quarterback for the Sooners ahead of their season opener against Houston.

Hurts was considered by most to be the favorite to win the Oklahoma football starting job based on past experience and seniority. He is 26-2 as a starter and helped guide Alabama to the 2017 national championship before losing his starting job to Tua Tagovailoa.

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During his time at Alabama Hurts set the school record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 23, and passed for 7,602 yards and 48 touchdowns, both of which rank No. 3 all time in the Crimson Tide program.

The graduate transfer was a huge get for the Sooners, who went looking for an “older quarterback for the room” – – according to Lincoln Riley – shortly after Kyler Murray declared for the NFL draft.

Hurts made a quick visit to Norman then made his decision shortly after, agreeing to play his final year of eligibility as a Sooner.

The Channelview High School product competed with Tanner Mordecai for the starting job through spring, summer and into fall camp with Spencer Rattler joining the quarterback derby midsummer, but has apparently managed to pull away from the competition a bit over the past few days. The Sooners are 13 days from kicking off the 2018 season, marking a similar timetable to when Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray were named the starting quarterbacks in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

The Sooners have set a high standard for quarterbacks in the past few years, sending a Heisman finalist to New York every year at the position since 2015 and producing back-to-back Heisman winners and No. 1 overall draft picks in 2017-18.

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