STARTING POINT
Hear from Jalen Hurts for the first time since he was named OU's starting QB
NORMAN — J al en Hurts doesn't drink coffee.
But he wants to be a coffee bean.
That's the analogy Hurts used Wednesday when talking about his role as a leader.
“I think you've got to try to be the coffee bean ,” Hurts said Wednesday as he addressed the media for the first time since being named Oklahoma's starting quarterback. “You've got the carrot
(and) the egg. You put an egg in boiling water, it hardens up. It doesn't affect anything. The carrot softens up. The coffee bean spreads and gets stronger and impacts the people around you.
“You try to be that coffee bean.”
Hurts certainly is a different personality than his predecessors, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield.
Hurts didn't need Monday's announcement that he was the starter to take his place as a leader — the leader — of the Sooners.
“He has that ` i t' factor,” defensive back Jordan Parker said of Hurts. “He's a very smart guy. My locker is by him so in talking to him a lot, just picking his brain — he's a very smart guy.
“That's something that's very natural, ( he's a) very natural-born leader.”
So while Monday' s decision of Hurts over Tanner Mordecai and Spencer Rattler changed how the reps were split in practice starting this week, they didn't have much of an effect on how Hurts goes about his business.
“Everybody can't lead the tribe,” Hurts said. “It takes a special person to do that and I think people lead because their peers let them lead. They've accepted me and it's an honor, a huge honor, and I take it personal and I want to be the best version, best quarterback, best leader I can be for this team and hopefully we can make it a special year.”
Hurts came to Oklahoma to compose a better ending for himself after losing his starting job to Tua Tagovailoa last off season after leading Alabama to a 26-2 record as a starter during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
“I think it's been a ride,” Hurts said. “This whole she bang, this story, whatever — this story is far from over with. I think the reality is I'm not the same quarterback I was as a freshman at Alabama, sophomore at Alabama, junior at Alabama.”
But Hurts wasn' t about to offer specifics on how he's different. That' s especially true of updating on his passing ability, which was at times suspect during his years with the Crimson Tide.
“I guess we'll see Sept.
1,” Hurts said, referring to the Sooners' season opener against Houston.
As for where he got the coffee bean analogy?
“You've got to surround yourself with the right people ,” Hurts said with a bit of a smile. “You'll hear some good stuff.”