PHOTO: Jalen Hurts Returns To Alabama, Gives Back To Young Athletes

Amid a crucial NFL offseason, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts returned to the state in which he began his college football career over the weekend to give back to local youth athletes.

Hurts, who spent his first three collegiate seasons at the University of Alabama, appeared at a youth camp in Hoover on Saturday (June 26).

WVTM's Rick Karle reports the camp was so popular that 500 campers applied in 13 minutes, which caused its website to crash, but the popular former Tide quarterback managed to pose for pictures with all the campers in attendance.

“.@Eagles QB @JalenHurts youth camp in Hoover, AL was filled at 500 campers in 13 minutes- the website crashed at one point,” Karle tweeted. “Yet the former @AlabamaFTBL and @OU_Football QB still took time to pose for a picture with every camper who wanted one."

Hurts is expected to be the Eagles' starting quarterback in 2021 amid the franchise's decision to trade former No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.

Hurts will be working with a new coaching staff during his second NFL season, which includes recently hired head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson, who had served as the University of Florida's offensive coordinator in 2020 after two seasons as the Gators' quarterbacks coach.

“I think the biggest thing in terms of building accuracy is obviously developing your feet and your eyes and everything's in concert with your target and having a great understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish as an offense,” Johnson said of Hurts' potential areas for improvement via BamaOnLine. “I've been extremely pleased with how he’s handled the installs, both he and Joe (Flacco), in terms of learning the offense and being fully prepared and putting us in a position to hit the ground running when we get to training camp.”

Hurts threw for 1,061 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions on 77 of 148 passing, while also recording 354 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns during four starts and 15 total appearances in 2020.

The Houston native took over as Alabama's starting quarterback as a true freshman before being replaced by Tua Tagovailoa in the second half of the College Football National Championship Game, with Tagovailoa leading the Tide to a comeback overtime victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.

Hurts replaced an injured Tagovailoa during the SEC Championship the following season and led the Tide to victory over the Bulldogs with a strong late game performance, before Tagovailoa returned for the College Football Playoff several weeks later.

Hurts transferred to the University of Oklahoma prior to the 2019 season and was a Heisman Trophy finalist, as well as the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and a first team All-Big 12 quarterback during his lone season in Norman.