Jalen Milroe breaks down his pocket awareness

Crimson Tide fans caught glimpses of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe last season, as he played on a limited basis and in relief for an injured Bryce Young.

He immediately flashed his ability as a runner last year with 31 rushes for 263 yards and a touchdown but in his 2023 season debut as Alabama’s starting quarterback he displayed his improved abilities as a passer, working efficiently in and out of the pocket.

Milroe was asked about his process of operating within the pocket and how he was so effective last Saturday, which he credited to Alabama’s offensive line.

“I think it all comes down to trust,” Milroe said. “I trust the guys that are in front of me that’s protecting me every single day throughout the week. And I know those guys are just pushing to be the best version of themselves every day.”

Per usual, Milroe was effective his legs, rushing for 48 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in his seven carries. But he was also extremely effective and efficient throwing the football, completing 13 of his 18 pass attempts for 194 yards and two touchdown passes.

Milroe was able to operate both outside of and inside of the pocket, highlighted by an impressive 47-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Bond where he took a hard hit inside the pocket and still delivered a dime.

His offensive line kept his jersey relatively clean on the day, allowing just two sacks on Milroe. But according to him, improvement as an offense is the goal, and his confidence in his guys up front is what allowed him to thrive throwing the ball on Saturday.

“Our goal this year as a unit is just be the best version of ourselves each and every day. We approach practice, a game, no matter what it is. So with throwing the ball at the quarterback position it comes with trust, and I trust our offensive line that’s in front of me,” Milroe explained.

Milroe may have been successful in Week 1, but faces a much taller task in Week 2 as the Crimson Tide host Texas in a marquee rematch from last season.

A Katy, Texas native, Milroe is more than familiar with the Longhorns and was even committed to Texas out of high school before flipping his commitment to Alabama.

Texas is coming off of a dominant defensive performance against Rice, where they forced three turnovers and allowed just 10 points along with 176 total yards of offense. Setting the table for an exciting matchup this Saturday when the two blue bloods square off at 7:00 p.m. in a game airing on ESPN.