Alabama football has its starting quarterback for this season in Jalen Milroe’s return.
He has marquee experience in the Southeastern Conference as the redshirt junior led the Crimson Tide to an SEC Championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl Game for the College Football Playoff.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder took strides under Tommy Rees in 2023, but now he has Kalen DeBoer and Nick Sheridan. Milroe compiled 2,834 passing yards and 35 total touchdowns last year; however, he is searching for more in the fall.
The native Texan performed very well in spring practice, adjusting to the nuance DeBoer’s staff brought in. Greg McElroy, a former Alabama quarterback, featured Coach DeBoer on his Always College Football podcast. The 2009 BCS National Champion got DeBoer to unveil why Milroe is the guy for the Tide at quarterback, regardless of the depth at the position.
He could produce another 4,000-plus yard passer in Milroe as he did for Michael Penix at Washington.
Jalen Milroe poised to take another big step?@AlabamaFTBL HC Kalen DeBoer talks how Milroe is leading a deep QB room this offseason 👏 📈#RollTide | #Alabama pic.twitter.com/NIoWInISx6
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) June 20, 2024
“So Jalen, with what he did at the end of the season, I think is what’s really impressive,” DeBoer said.
“And, you know, building on that, even though yes, new system, new verbiage and things like that, building on that experience, I think and him now learning from it and knowing, you know, the areas the needs to continue improve, he’s been amazing in that way. I watched the SEC Championship a number of times. And, just some things that you really see that were happening at the end of the year and, gives you a lot of excitement and hope, you know, going into the fall. He’s putting himself out there more and more with the team. He holds himself accountable to a high level.”
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DeBoer said the quarterback room ‘supports each other,’ but Milroe is the guy.
Alabama fans want to see him take the next step to becoming a national champion in the fall.
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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.
