Why Oklahoma's AD Remains Wowed by the 'Extraordinary Leader' Jalen Hurts Is

TULSA — Jalen Hurts is still drawing admirers at Oklahoma.

Count his former athletic director among them.

Joe Castiglione is proud of the national champions. He beams about the conference titles. Of the many outstanding individual athletes at Oklahoma, he sometimes feels as much dad as he does athletic director.

But when the conversation turns to academic success, Castiglione truly wears it on his sleeve.

“A clear strategy,” Castiglione called it.

OU posted a record this academic year for the most athletes over a 3.0 GPA, as well as a new school record for graduation rate. The football team posted an all-time high GPA, and the most recent semester for all athletes resulted in an all-time record cumulative GPA of 3.25. OU athletes have also posted a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better for a record 23 straight semesters — or almost 12 years. Before that, Castiglione said, there had been only one semester over 3.0.

Of OU’s 19 teams, 17 posted a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better this year, and 115 Sooner student-athletes achieved a 4.0 GPA.

“We do our best to help them matriculate while they’re here, and our grad rates show that they’re having more success there than ever before,” Castiglione said at Wednesday’s Board of Regents meeting at Postoak Resort.

“But we don’t drop that effort when they leave. They may exhaust eligibility, they may move on to pro opportunities, but still have hours to complete. And we’re getting more of our athletes to come back and finish their degree, whether through the online offerings — sometimes they can finish somewhere else and be able to complete their requirements — and have an Oklahoma degree.

“I think the best example of that, albeit a graduate degree, was Jalen Hurts coming back for graduation just several weeks ago.”

Congratulations to our QB Jalen Hurts on receiving his Masters Degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma today! 🎓 pic.twitter.com/9Z90EbwQWT
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) May 13, 2023

On May 12, Hurts received his Master’s degree in human relations from OU. He attended the ceremony and walked across the stage with other OU grads to pick up his diploma.

“It was important enough,” Castiglione said. “And he told us when he left that he was gonna finish his Master’s. And Jalen, when he tells you something, you know you can bank on it. It just shows what kind of extraordinary leader he is. He could have just said, ‘Hey, I did it. I finished my degree,’ and then just get it in the mail somewhere. But it was important enough for him to come back and participate in graduation activities.”

Hurts has had quite the year so far in 2023. He quarterbacked the Philadelphia Eagles through the NFL playoffs and into the Super Bowl. Then in April signed a five-year contract extension worth an NFL-record $255 million, including $110 million guaranteed. Then in May, he got his Master's.

Hurts received his undergraduate degree in three years where he began his college football career — at the University of Alabama. He then transferred to OU as a graduate transfer for the 2019 football season.

In reality, many grad transfers just play their one season of football and call it good, declining to pursue the actual degree.

Not hurts.

“His leadership and influence … he just totally gets it,” Castiglione said. “Couldn’t be more proud of him, and grateful that we had a chance to be part of his journey, even if it was for a short amount of time.”