He is from Texas, but Jalen Milroe knew about the Iron Bowl when he signed in Alabama’s 2021 recruiting class.
Milroe, a sophomore, was at Jordan-Hare Stadium two years ago as Bryce Young’s backup quarterback.
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He witnessed a boisterous crowd and the Crimson Tide’s offense having a rough time moving the football. Milroe also saw something incredible in the fourth quarter. He observed Young take the team 97 yards in 12 plays for a 28-yard, game-tying touchdown pass to wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks. Milroe enjoyed looking at Young lead the team to a 24-22 victory in a hostile environment; however, he now gets an opportunity to do it. He comes off three touchdown passes in Alabama’s 66-10 victory against Chattanooga at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but Milroe faces a different task in an Auburn coming off an embarrassing loss.
Hugh Freeze will have the Tigers ready to play, but Milroe has that experience from 2021 he can draw from.
He talked about his preparation on Monday during his interview with reporters.
“No matter what state you are from, you know about the Iron Bowl,” Milroe said.
“I know about the Iron Bowl, and I grew up watching it. To be able to experience the Iron Bowl, especially on the road at Auburn, is going to be a challenge for us. I do know about the history of the game, and it is very exciting.”
Milroe said everything that represents Alabama’s 4th Quarter Program went into the 2021 game.
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“When you talk about four quarters, when you talk about the Fourth Quarter Program, when you talk about mental toughness, when you talk about willingness to compete when you talk about grit, it all goes into that game,” Milroe said.
“It is many areas of the game to see how evident that was. Seeing football from a different lens during my freshman year, that’s what I saw. It showed nothing but how great of a leader Bryce Young is. His mental toughness, willingness to lead the offense in every situation, and then our team as a whole showed mental toughness. They showed grit, they showed we can finish, they showed in all kinds of different areas. We talk about naysayers, we talk about people that doubt the Alabama team, and that was an opportunity for us to sustain throughout a game and push through external factors.”
Milroe said Alabama’s defense has prepared him for Auburn. Kevin Steele, the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator, was Auburn’s defensive play caller from 2016 to 2020. He will have an extra fire for this week, and Milroe sees it.
“Before you touch the field, you have to be ready to go,” Miroe said about facing Alabama’s defense in practice. “Our defense is going to bring it, but with Coach Steele and the defense we are playing, it makes the offense better. Our defense is very dominant and going against those guys helps us.”
Milroe has experienced the Iron Bowl as a backup, but he’s prepared to battle the Tigers as the starting quarterback.
He leads the Crimson Tide against Auburn on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
