Jalen Hurts returns to the Super Bowl as quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles for the second time in his career when the Eagles take on the Chiefs Sunday in a rematch of Super Bowl LVII. Hurts, who lost to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago, will look to get the win this time around and take home his first championship ring.

Before the big game, here's a look back at Hurts's rise from Channelview, Texas to becoming a quarterback at Oklahoma and Alabama, and now starting in his second Super Bowl.

Where did Jalen Hurts go to college?

Jalen Hurts attended the University of Alabama and University of Oklahoma for college. Starting at Alabama in 2016, Hurts became a freshman starter for the Crimson Tide and became the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year.

Hurts led Alabama to an 11–1 record and the College Football Playoff national championship in 2017, but was benched in the championship game for Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts remained at Alabama in '18 to finish his degree, but transfered to Oklahoma for the '19 season. He considered transferring to Miami or Maryland, but ultimately went with the Sooners as Alabama coach Nick Saban suggested that Oklahoma had the most talented offensive players at the time and that coach Lincoln Riley could help develop him as a quarterback.

Hurts rebounded under Riley, helping Oklahoma win the Big 12 championship and make the CFP, where they lost to the eventual champions in LSU. Hurts finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting and declared for the 2020 NFL draft.

Jalen Hurts’s college statistics

Hurts's senior season was easily the best of his career as both a passer and runner. His best game of the season may have been his first, when he recorded a combined 508 yards against Houston.

Hurts was the fifth quarterback off the board in the 2020 NFL draft, and one of five quarterbacks taken in the first three rounds in that class. Hurts easily had the best rushing statistics of all five quarterbacks. In terms of passing, Hurts final season of college was quite similar to Justin Herbert, who threw for 3,471 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2019. He did have better final seasons than Tagovailoa and Jordan Love, but Tagovailoa dealt with an injury that season.

Jalen Hurts’s hometown roots

Hurts was born in Houston and grew up in the eastern suburb of Channelview. He was raised by his parents, Averion Hurts Sr. and Pamela Hurts, and his father was his high school football coach. He developed a love of football at an early age while following in his father and brother's footsteps. Pamela recalled to Click2Houston that Hurts began playing football as a wide receiver before transitioning to quarterback in middle school.

Jalen Hurts's high school football career

Hurts emerged as a four-star recruit during his time at Channelview High School. Hurts became second-team all-district as a sophomore, and then District 21-6A Overall MVP in his junior season. As a senior, Hurts threw for 2,384 yards with 26 touchdowns while rushing for 1,391 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was considered a top dual-threat quarterback in the recruiting class of 2016.

Pictures of Jalen Hurts from college and high school

Alabama Crimson Tide, Jalen Hurts.
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Oklahoma Sooners, Jalen Hurts.
Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts. | Jason Getz-Imagn Images

Hurts's transition from college to the NFL

The Eagles selected Hurts with the No. 53 pick in the 2020 draft. Leading up to the draft, Hurts recorded a 4.59 second 40-yard dash and 35 inch vertical at the NFL combine.

Hurts originally started out as the Eagles' third-string quarterback as a rookie, but emerged as the team's backup by Week 2. Carson Wentz remained the starter for much of Hurts's rookie season, but Hurts took over the job late in the season after Wentz's struggles got him benched.

Heading into his sophomore season in 2021, new Eagles coach Nick Sirianni named him the starter, a position he has held ever since. The Eagles have made the postseason in every season in which Hurts has been the full-time starter, and have now made two Super Bowls.

What to know about Jalen Hurts’s hometown of Channelview, Texas

Hurts's hometown of Channelview holds a population of roughly 45,688 people according to the 2020 U.S. census.

Channelview was once a small rural town of around 300 people. By 1960, that population reached 1,500 people, and 5,000 people by 1980. Now the city is home to over eight times the amount of people it was 40 years ago.

Channelview received its name because of its location on the northeastern curve of the Houston Ship Channel.

The city is also known for an infamous 1991 murder plot. A woman named Wanda Holloway pursued a murder after her daughter, Shanna, failed to make her junior high school cheerleading team two years in a row, losing out to the daughter of Verna Heath. Holloway attempted to hire a hitman to kill Heath, believing Heath's daughter would quit the team in the wake of her mother's death, allowing Shanna to take the spot. Holloway was arrested after her ex-brother-in-law reported the scheme to police, and sheeventually struck a plea deal that put her in jail for six months.

Channelview was also the home of former MLB All-Star outfielder Glenn Wilson, who played for five different teams from 1982 to 1993.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Where Did Jalen Hurts Go to School? College Stats, Hometown & More.

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