NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Jalen Hurts' rise to the starting quarterback position at Oklahoma wasn't a foregone conclusion, despite his wealth of championship experience at Alabama.

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley took his time before naming Hurts the starter for the fourth-ranked Sooners' Sept. 1 season opener against Houston. Though Hurts played in three national championship games for Alabama and helped the Crimson Tide win the 2017 national title, Riley said he wanted to see how Hurts would adjust to a new system after he transferred to Oklahoma in January .

Hurts barely won the job over redshirt freshman Tanner Mordecai and true freshman Spencer Rattler. Hurts didn't clinch the job until Riley reviewed a recent scrimmage. Riley spent two years as Oklahoma's offensive coordinator and is entering his third as the Sooners' head coach, yet this might have been his toughest call.