Jalen Hurts and Urban Meyer got exactly what they deserved.

Besides playing another classic game for the Southeastern Conference championship, Alabama’s comeback win over Georgia also provided perhaps the warmest story line of the entire season.

Jalen Hurts became the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback as a freshman and won SEC Player of the Year as a sophomore. He and his teammates were getting clobbered by Georgia in the College Football Playoff national championship game last January, and coach Nick Saban replaced Hurts with left-handed freshman Tua Tagovailoa.

Tua led the Tide to an amazing overtime win and won the starting job for 2018 season and played so spectacularly that he became a favorite for the Heisman Trophy. But Tua kept tweaking a sprained ankle as Alabama fell behind Georgia again in the rematch in the SEC title game. When he couldn’t go any more, Hurts replaced him.

You’ve heard the story by now; how Hurts led the Tide to an uber-dramatic 35-28 victory and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Whether he ever takes another snap for Alabama, Hurts will be a legend for not transferring when he lost his starting job and staying ready to become the hero Tua was at the end of last season.

On the other side of the merit spectrum, Ohio State did not make the college football Final Four despite a 12-1 record and easy win over Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game. While the Buckeyes were edged out of the playoff by Oklahoma, which won its rematch with Texas for the Big 12 title, I don’t feel bad for their coach.

Urban Meyer has turned out to be more than a pretty face in college football. He makes more than $7 million and was exposed for covering up sexual assault charges – twice – for one of his assistant coaches and got a measly three-game suspension. At Florida, scores of his players were arrested for their off-field behavior, and Meyer was never held accountable.

Ohio State might have blown out Michigan at the Big House last week and be the 2018 Big Ten champion, but as a mentor to young men and coaches, Meyer is not a winner in my book. Quite the opposite.

Featured image via @JalenHurts

Related Stories
None