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Jumbo Package: Eyes are on the quarterbacks, but the real questions are in the secondary

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Tagovailoa and Hurts are competing for the starting job, and it appears the Hawaiian sophomore has the edge after he was spotted working with the first-team offense at the start of practice Saturday inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Mere hours before -- on that very same field -- Hurts met with reporters for the first time since the aftermath of the national championship game.

And it was clear he had changed his tune.

He was no longer smiling. He was no longer projecting an image of satisfaction. He was no longer biting his tongue, or offering anodyne platitudes.