Several quarterbacks headlined Southeastern Conference Media Days in Dallas (Texas), but most of them took time to highlight someone who they feel is going to have an incredible season.
It may be his genuine personality, smile, or confidence as a player, but the SEC knows Jalen Milroe is special. The returning junior for Alabama football has his sights on ending the Crimson Tide’s three-year national championship drought.
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He was one of numerous players that could have left when Nick Saban announced his retirement from coaching Alabama in January, but he chose to remain. Milroe has bonding with Kalen DeBoer and his staff and has bought into what the Tide want to accomplish in the fall. DeBoer took the podium on Wednesday at the Omni Hotel and highlighted one of Milroe’s best qualities.
“It is something that you see with Jalen,” DeBoer said. “I can look back to last week, it was a moment with our team and he was standing up and speaking out. Positive, but also accountability. That mix of doing what great leaders do, building up your teammates, but also reminding them of what it is going to take for us to reach the goals we have … he’s done a great job of balancing that. He has grown in a lot of ways in that area, but we also have to talk about what he does on the football field.”
DeBoer said Milroe has a skill set that is ‘special.’
“He can make you pay with his arm,” DeBoer said.
“He can make the throws. He has continued to grow in that area, building confidence in himself. He is tirelessly working with the receiving corps and all the skill players to be on the same page. He has continued to expand his game with the different throws he can make. He’s been strong down the field. A year ago, he was one of the best in the country with downfield throws. I think he’s continued to work on those higher percentage throws you need to have to move the chains.”
DeBoer said Milroe is so dialed in that no one beats him inside the football facility.
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“He is there at 4:30-5 a.m. for sure, every single day,” DeBoer said.
“I know there are guys who have tried to beat him into the facility, and they could not. When he is there, it is not just punching in the clock. He does a great job of being efficient mentally and physically to be ready for this fall.”
He has a winner’s mentality and Milroe wants it finish with a national title for Alabama.
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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.
