Kalen DeBoer reveals his advice for Jalen Milroe amid on-field struggles

Alabama has dropped back-to-back road games. This is the earliest the No. 15 Crimson Tide have had two losses in a season since 2007, Nick Saban’s first year at the program’s helm.

Each of Alabama’s last four games has been decided by one score. The Tide held off an inspired comeback from then-No. 2 Georgia, only to suffer a stunning upset loss to Vanderbilt the following week. Then they rallied to eek out a win over South Carolina, except that too-close-for-comfort triumph preceded a frustrating defeat to then-No. 11 Tennessee last weekend.

Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe has been riding that four-game roller coaster. He’s thrown at least one interception in every one of those outings, including four picks over the last two weeks.

“We just got to get back to when he’s at his best and not try to do too much, not try to get outside of what he’s capable of,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer told ESPN’s Marty Smith Friday ahead of a the Tide’s Week 9 matchup against No. 21 Missouri.

“He’s a phenomenal athlete, player, person. Just really do what he does best, understand what makes him different than other quarterbacks around the country. And that’s always something we’re going to make sure we try to do is tailor things around what he can do for us, help him be confident with that, make sure that the other guys around him are all doing their job at a extremely high level, so that makes his job just a little bit easier.”

Milroe is a dual threat who has carried the ball 91 times for 330 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, in addition to passing for 1,722 yards with a 68.4% completion percentage and a 13:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

That said, the last two games especially, Milroe has struggled with his downfield throwing. Last week in a 24-17 setback to Tennessee, Milroe was 0-of-5 on passes traveling 20-plus air yards, per Pro Football Focus. The week before that, in a 27-25 win over South Carolina, he was just 1-of-3 on those passes, throwing a touchdown as well as an interception in that depth, according to PFF.

In the five games prior, Milroe was 12-of-21 on passes traveling 20-plus air yards, recording seven touchdowns and zero picks in that depth, per PFF.

Plus, Milroe struggled to make an impact on the ground last week at Tennessee, where he netted just 11 yards on 14 rushing attempts. Granted his rushing total was affected by the three sacks he took, but his limitations on the ground versus the Volunteers are still noteworthy.

Alabama’s rushing offense, in general, has been off track the last three games. The Tide are averaging a mere 87.7 rushing yards in that span.

“We all just need to have everyone pick up their game,” DeBoer said. “And I know [Jalen will] do the same because it means a lot to him.”

Milroe and Alabama have their backs against the wall this week against 6-1 Missouri. It’s basically a College Football Playoff elimination game — and it’s not even November.