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Jalen Hurts frustrated with Alabama's handling of QB competition

Marvin Gentry / USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

Jalen Hurts is not happy with the way Alabama has handled its quarterback competition heading into the 2018 season.

Hurts is battling sophomore and national championship sensation Tua Tagovailoa for the starting spot. The junior has been disappointed with how Crimson Tide coaches handled what he called media-circulated "rumors" and "speculation" during the offseason.

"I mean, this is a situation that is uncontrollable," Hurts said Saturday, via ESPN's Alex Scarborough. "Coaches can't control this situation. They dictate who plays, but as far as the other variations to it, they don't control it, honestly.

"For me, no one came up to me the whole spring, coaches included, no one asked me how I felt. No one asked me what was on my mind. No one asked me how I felt about the things that were going on. Nobody asked me what my future held. That's that. So now it's like when we try to handle the situation now, for me, it's kind of late, it's too late, the narrative has already been created."

Hurts added he was shocked when head coach Nick Saban said he has "no idea" if Hurts will be on the team's opening-day roster.

The quarterback's father has hinted at a transfer if his son did not win the starting quarterback job, but Hurts claims his coaches didn't attempt to clear the air.

"I don't necessarily think they were not concerned, because they're definitely concerned," Hurts explained. "I just don't think that maybe they were bold enough to ask, like it was, I know it's there but I don't want to talk about it. I definitely think it was something that should have been talked about a long time ago instead of being talked about when it's here."

Hurts led the team for the past two seasons, earning the SEC Offensive Player of the Year award in 2016. However, he struggled in the championship game and had to watch from the sidelines as Tagovailoa led Alabama to the national championship.

The two will compete in fall camp for the right to start in the season opener against Louisville.

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