Michael Penix developed into a Heisman Trophy finalist, a first-team All-American, and a Maxwell Award winner during his two seasons under Kalen DeBoer at quarterback for the University of Washington.
Penix is expected to be a first-round selection in the upcoming NFL Draft. DeBoer produced massive success for Penix, but will similar results happen for Jalen Milroe at the University of Alabama? DeBoer, 49, inherits a quarterback from the Nick Saban era that arrived as a four-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class from Katy, Texas. Milroe became a first-year starter in 2023 and endured early struggles. He suffered a loss to the University of Texas in week two and was benched for the third game of the season against South Florida. Milroe used the rough moments as fuel and grew into a permanent team captain. He propelled Alabama to a Southeastern Conference Championship after a rough start and returned it to the College Football Playoff.
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Milroe posted 2,834 passing yards and 35 touchdowns — 23 passing, 12 rushing — to six interceptions. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder thrives in an environment where he’s doubted.
He co-created an acronym last year, “Let All Naysayers Know,” or LANK that inspired everyone. Austin Mack, a transfer quarterback from Washington, followed DeBoer to Alabama.
Some feel that Mack, Ty Simpson, or Dylan Lonergan could take the starting job from Milroe, but the junior leads the first-team reps in spring practice.
Brock Huard, a former National Football League quarterback, feels Milroe will develop into a first-round NFL Draft pick under DeBoer.
The Washington alum was a third-round selection of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Huard explained why he feels that way on The Next Round Show. Huard is now an analyst for college and NFL football games.
Brock Huard believes Jalen Milroe can develop into a first round draft pick under Kalen DeBoer.@AlabamaFTBL @BrockHuard pic.twitter.com/mhzEdL2rCk
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) March 6, 2024
“The No. 1 thing he is going to have to do is process,” Huard said Wednesday about Milroe.
“That was a hard Rose Bowl to watch. And while Michigan hammered Michael Penix, and bruised him and battered him, it was because Michael had to throw it 51 times in that game and took a beating. He was not sacked over and over and over as Milroe was in that first half where he was just not seeing it. He was not processing it, and that where I thought Nick [Saban] and Tommy [Rees] did a great job of simplifying it and getting back to a running game. He is going to bring some physical attributes there that are just different, that are so unbelievably unique, and I think [Nick] Sheridan and Kalen DeBoer will have some pretty fun clay to mold in that way.”
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Huard believes DeBoer’s offense with Milroe can be really good, but Milroe has to process better.
“This is a system that lines up in one look, and then shifts to another look,” Huard said. “There are box counts, checks, it is going to be a little bit at the firehose in the spring of ‘whoa, this is a lot for me here to handle.’ And again, where an Austin Mack should with a year under his belt, have a lot of experience out the gate will be to do a lot of the check, shifting, movement, and motions. The Huskies were fifth in America last year, top five in America in pre-snap movement. That is not just window dressing, that is showing you one thing and getting to another. It creates matchups and it is hard to contend with, but you need a QB that can handle all of that. Jalen has a challenge to grow in this way, and if he does… You are talking about a first-round quarterback.”
Penix was able to handle everything, pushing DeBoer’s offense at Washington to a Pac-12 Championship and berth in the CFP National Championship Game in 2023. Milroe has a task on his hands, but he has never been afraid of challenges.
We will see how he develops in this opportunity.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
