NORMAN, Okla. — Jalen Hurts can’t say for sure, but he thinks his embrace of — and genuine love for — those with developmental disabilities might just be in his DNA. After all, both of his parents were special education teachers early in their careers.



“I guess it’s just kind of in the Hurts blood,” Hurts told The Athletic.



Hurts is Oklahoma’s new quarterback, set to follow Heisman winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. He was one of the most coveted transfer quarterbacks in college football history, and OU fans are rightly excited about what Hurts will add on the field. He was 26-2 as Alabama’s starting quarterback and was the 2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman.



But talk to people in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and you quickly find out that Hurts’ legacy there goes well beyond what he did on the field. It goes beyond the remarkable grace Hurts displayed after he lost his starting job to Tua...