Alabama football has five quarterbacks competing for the starting job in the fall.
Three are in the heat of the battle as Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, and Tyler Buchner look to prove themselves.
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Milroe, a redshirt sophomore, did receive playing time for the Crimson Tide in 2022. The native Texan replaced an injured Bryce Young against Arkansas, helping the Tide to a 49-26 victory. He showed his athleticism on a 77-yard run and finished the game with 65 yards passing, 91 yards rushing, and two touchdowns. Milroe got his first career start versus Texas A&M and totaled three touchdown passes in a 24-20 victory for the Tide. He suffered two forced fumbles, but he managed the game despite the pressure.
Some do not see Milroe as a complete quarterback; however, a former Alabama standout predicts him to have a breakout campaign in the fall for the Tide. ArDarius Stewart, a former four-star in the 2013 signing class, played with Blake Sims, Jalen Hurts, and Jacob Coker. All three were under similar pressures as Milroe, but Stewart calls Milroe ‘a dog’ and believes he’s ready.
Stewart spoke highly of Milroe in Tuesday’s episode of The Bama Standard on YouTube.
“Coach Saban is allowing him to do what he has to do,” Stewart said about Milroe having a breakout season. “The one thing I will say is that my boy has to stay in the pocket a little longer. You have to have a presence in the pocket and let the ball go when it’s time to let it go.”
Some have written Milroe off from a starting opportunity, but Stewart said a lot of people don’t understand Nick Saban’s process.
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“He got in young and made mistakes, but he still came up out of it,” he said about Milroe. “We have to think about the heat he went through then, the mistakes he made, and what he wants to do the next time he gets on the field. There is something about a dog. You give him a little something, then take it away from him, and he is going to want to eat for real when he gets it the next time. That is what I see in the guy. He is a real dog. I feel like if they give him an opportunity, mold him, and let him play, he is going to be okay. They have to give him a chance, even in his mistakes. Some of the best players come out of the worst mistakes.”
Blake Sims was not thought of as a starting quarterback, but he proved people wrong in 2014.
He made mistakes that season, including multiple interceptions in the Iron Bowl, but he also had crucial plays. Sims led the Tide to an incredible season that culminated in a Southeastern Conference Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Jacob Coker got benched early in the 2015 season against Ole Miss and the Tide suffered a 37-43 loss.
He learned from his mistakes, won the team over, and led Alabama to a CFP National Championship. No one thought Saban would ever start a true freshman quarterback, but Jalen Hurts became the man in 2016. The native Texan had his share of mistakes, but Saban stuck with him and it led to an SEC Championship and nearly a national championship.
Stewart, a former CFP National Champion in 2015, sees the same type of winner in Milroe.
He has put in work this offseason, but we will see what Milroe does in the fall.
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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.
