Jalen Milroe believes not playing initially was the best thing for him in college

It took a while until Jalen Milroe saw the field as the full-time quarterback for Alabama. But his two years as a backup were not put to waste.

In an interview with Adam Breneman, Milroe explained how spending two seasons away from the field helped shape him into the quarterback he is now. From seeing the game differently to taking the time to improve his physical profile, it all played a role in Milroe catching on and eventually flourishing at quarterback down the stretch in 2023.

“Honestly, I think the best thing for me wasn’t playing initially coming into college,” Milroe said. “Learning from great quarterbacks that were in college football. Of course, firsthand, having Bryce [Young] here. But also quarterbacks in college football with how well they’re playing, whoever was the top quarterback in the years that I wasn’t the quarterback, that was great for me not to play, be observant, look at football in a different lens because ultimately that got me better. Being off the field and learning, growing with the coaches that we had here, because we have a lot of people that are knowledgable in the whole — everyone that was here. So that was what I tried to do, keep building, because whenever my time presented itself, it was time to execute and make the most out of it.”

And though Milroe is grateful for the time spent improving himself and his craft, he readily acknowledged those two years weren’t all fun.

Away from the glory of winning on Saturday’s, Milroe toiled without the immediate rewards for his labor. But he trusted it could all eventually pay off similar to how it did.

“The years before this year is what honestly got me to this position because the work is going to be done at some point,” Milroe said. “And it was all about sacrificing everything now to get everything you want in your future. There were days that you’re full of tears, days you were hurting, bleeding, all that stuff was for moments like now and getting to your future tense. Because all of us, as a whole, we look at the present tense and what I want now. But now more of the future sense of ‘What is now going to take care of later?’

“And so that’s what I tried to do. When I came to the building, even when I wasn’t the starter, when I first got here, playing the right way, take care of my body, try to be physically in shape. Getting physically stronger throughout the years, that what I tried to improve on so I can just say that preparation in the offseason and the time I’ve been here is honestly what catapulted me to where I am now.”