Jalen Milroe addresses his 4 am workouts, how Alabama's leaders stepped up during coaching transition

Any program is going to need some internal leadership when going through a coaching change. Losing Nick Saban is a little different though, with Alabama having to replace arguably the best head coach of all time. Luckily for the Crimson Tide, Jalen Milroe is already an in-house leader and has stepped up in a big way.

If anything, Milroe has been leading by example, none more so evident than when he arrives at the facility every morning. Milroe is clearly a morning person and checks in around 4 a.m. to begin his daily work.

From there, he begins to get reps in — both mental and physical. The beginning of spring practice has helped as well, hoping to improve on a daily basis heading into the 2024 season.

“Coach (Nick) Sheridan came in here and he talked about all of us,” Milroe began when speaking to Cole Cubelic during Alabama’s Pro Day. “He said ‘How many reps did you get today?’ He said ‘All of them.’ It doesn’t matter if you’re in or you’re out, you’re always getting a mental or physical rep no matter what rep you’re getting in.

“I’m all about repetition, I’m all about the process to succeed and be successful. Whether it’s waking up early, staying up late, it’s all about this process of being great and being successful. I’m going to continue to do that as much as possible.

Milroe gave credit to the guys who were on campus in the year before him, setting the bar at Alabama. Whether it was Saban or somebody like Mac Jones and Bryce Young, they have all played a role in how hard Milroe works on a daily basis.

“I got to applaud the people that’s been around me,” Milroe said. “They set the foundation of what’s right. The guys that played the position here and then offensively, all the guys. For me, I just try to improve each and every day.”

Jalen Milroe wanting to keep Alabama standard

From the moment Kalen DeBoer arrived at Tuscaloosa, his message has been along the lines of “Keep the standard the standard.” Nobody in the program wants a drop-off and expects to compete and win national championships on a yearly basis.

The idea has resonated with the players, especially Milroe. Entering his fourth season on campus, he knows how a Saban-ran program operates. DeBoer will put a personal touch on things but the foundation will remain the same.

“The biggest thing about this is the standard is the standard, no matter what,” Milroe said. “Circumstances that may take place externally, outside of what we can control. The standard is the standard.

“The biggest thing we’ve looked at is internally within the facility with who was here and who could step up. I got to applaud our veteran crew. Whether it was our upperclassmen stepping in and really talking about our foundation… That’s huge when you talk about our leaders.”

Milroe is not the only veteran returning. Alabama will have multiple upperclassmen back and ready to work through the transition. Thankfully, a couple are on the defensive side of the ball, making sure all bases are covered.

“I got to applaud Deontae Lawson and Malachi Moore,” Milroe said. “With their age, they know what the standard is. They know what we’re about as far as being Alabama. So, those are the guys I lean on as far as this process.

“Really trying to have a strong foundation of our program because now it’s about touching the young guys that might not know what the standard is yet. But as we’re moving along, we’re able to start leading, and guys follow what’s right.”