In less than 10 weeks, the Alabama Crimson Tide hits the field for their season opening game against Florida State.

Inside Atlanta’s new Mercedes Benz Stadium, sophomore Jalen Hurts is expected to start under center for the first time in a season opening game and begin his second season as Alabama’s starting quarterback.

Over the weekend, Hurts participated at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana and was joined by fellow SEC quarterbacks Austin Allen from Arkansas, Shea Patterson from Ole Miss, Jake Bentley from South Carolina and Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald.

During Monday’s edition of The Blitz, former Alabama fullback Martin Houston explained why this weekend’s Manning Passing Academy could be essential in the growth of Jalen Hurts as a quarterback.

To begin his monologue, the former Alabama fullback put into context the Crimson Tide’s lack of experience at quarterback when Jalen Hurts stepped on campus in 2016.

“It’s not just that he was the starting quarterback after the first game, he was the most veteran quarterback.” Houston said. “You go back and look anywhere else in the country and tell me where a guy who steps on campus as a true freshman after playing one game has more playing time than any other quarterback on the roster even if you count their mop-up duty.”

Houston also touched on how the lack of mentoring from the coaching staff limited Jalen Hurts’ development as a true freshman and how his participation with other SEC quarterbacks could broaden the horizon for Alabama’s sophomore signal caller.

The host of The Blitz also mentioned the fusion of principles that he is looking for from a dual threat quarterback and an offensive coordinator coming from the NFL.

“I want to see them meld together this pro-style offense with the RPOs.” Houston said.

The Blitz kicks off live and local coverage of Alabama sports every weekday from 6-7 AM on Tide 102.9/100.9 and the radioPup app.

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