College football notebook: Hurts not in awe of Oklahoma QB tradition

[March 28, 2019]  Jalen Hurts has gone from winning a national championship at Alabama to following in the footsteps of back-to-back Heisman winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray at Oklahoma.

His message as he met the media Wednesday for the first time since his transfer: He's ready for all the pressure and expectations.

"I think this whole situation is unique. Everything about it is unique," Hurts said at a news conference in Norman, Okla., that lasted slightly longer than 30 minutes. "For me, I know it's happening to a unique person. I'm not your average Joe. I'm kind of built for these type of situations."

Hurts threw for 5,626 yards with 48 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in three seasons at Alabama, adding 1,976 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. After losing a 2018 camp battle to sophomore Tua Tagovailoa, Hurts stuck around and cemented his place in Alabama lore when he came off the bench to lead a Crimson Tide comeback against Georgia in the SEC title game.
 

--Save the dates: Clemson and Oklahoma have scheduled a home-and-home football series. But there will be a significant wait.

The schools announced that the teams will meet Sept. 15, 2035, in Clemson, S.C., and then again on Sept. 13, 2036, in Norman.

Given each team's recent success, it's quite possible the programs will meet outside of the regular season before then. Clemson has appeared in the past four College Football Playoffs, winning championships following the 2016 and '18 seasons. The Sooners have been selected to the four-team playoff in three of the five years of its existence.

--Tennessee has indefinitely suspended defensive back Kenneth George Jr. amid allegations he punched a police officer, coach Jeremy Pruitt announced.

George pleaded not guilty to third-degree felony charges of battery of a police officer and resisting an officer with violence, and misdemeanor charges of resisting an officer without violence and disorderly conduct.

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray participates in positional workouts during pro day at the Everest Indoor Training Center at the University of Oklahoma. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The charges are the result of an incident that occurred last Thursday in Miami Beach in which police said George yelled profanities at an officer, ignored the officer's commands and then punched the officer in the head. George was in Florida during the school's spring break.

--Purdue will add a gate outside the entrance to the student section at Ross-Ade Stadium to honor Tyler Trent, a student described as a "superfan" who passed away on Jan. 1.

Accompanied by Trent's parents, Purdue president Mitch Daniels said in a campus ceremony that the gate will be built before the 2019 football season opens. It will have Purdue-gold lettering and bear the logo "T2." A plaque with his image and the words "Forever Our Captain" will be hung on the gate.

The entrance is where an ill Trent camped out with a friend for tickets to the 2017 game against Michigan and first met Purdue coach Jeff Brohm. Trent, 20, died of osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. His fight against the disease inspired the Boilermakers football team and countless others.

--Field Level Media

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