The Tuscaloosa community and Alabama football world suffered a tough loss on Tuesday.
Cecil Hurt, one of the most influential journalists, storytellers, and media personalities, passed away at UAB Hospital in Birmingham from complications from pneumonia.
The 62-year-old impacted colleagues at Tuscaloosa News for nearly 40 years while fostering a new generation of writers to pen stories on the Crimson Tide with accuracy, flair, and critical thinking. Hurt covered legendary coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant and Eugene Stallings for the Crimson Tide. Before his death, he captured the journey of Nick Saban through the pen.
Hurt would ask the first question to Saban in press conferences, and he had the ones that forced the seven-time national champion to think.