Jalen Milroe details why he wants to be coached hard at Alabama

The Alabama Crimson Tide are going through a coaching change with Nick Saban retiring and being replaced by Kalen DeBoer. With that, several key players on the Crimson Tide moved on from the program, but not starting quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Instead, Milroe made it clear that he’s staying at Alabama amid the coaching change and, during the Alabama-Auburn basketball game on Wednesday night, explained that he wants to get coached hard while at Alabama.

“No doubt, no doubt,” Jalen Milroe said. “I want to get the best out of me, you know what I’m saying? And I think the biggest thing is to always be a sponge for all information. And then the biggest thing also is that the coaches want the best out of you. You know, their job is to coach us but also get the best out of each player that they can and so, with them being a coach at heart, they see something in you.”

The transition from one coach to the next is often tough on a team. Their styles can be different and that can take a period of adjustment for the players on a team. Nick Saban was known for coaching players hard and that’s clearly what Jalen Milroe is still looking for.

It’s a style that Milroe has obviously thrived under. After getting benched for the USF game, Milroe began starting again for Alabama and came out on the other side of the benching better than ever before. He ended the season by winning the SEC and leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff.

Now, heading into 2024 with a new head coach in Kalen DeBoer, Milroe is expected to be one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football, even getting early Heisman Trophy consideration.

Kalen DeBoer dishes about how Alabama players have reacted to explosive Washington offense

One thing that Kalen DeBoer does bring to Alabama is a history of good and explosive offenses. That’s something that he says players at Alabama are excited about.

“Yeah that’s certainly a big piece of these guys here in the program understanding what we’ve been and we were on national TV a lot, enough for them to see what we were doing and to be excited about their roles,” DeBoer said.

“You talk about Jalen [Milroe], you talk about the receiving core, and these guys are fired up about getting those opportunities within this offense. Dillon Johnson was the leading rusher in the Pac-12, and so all the skill guys, they’re fired up and ready to learn the system and continue to grow.”