Jalen Milroe explains frustration on sidelines late in A-Day spring game: 'It's passion'

Saturday’s A-Day spring game marked the final scrimmage of Alabama’s spring practice session. The Crimson Tide got to show off their new look under Kalen DeBoer in front of a packed house at Bryant Denny Stadium, and it delivered.

But to Jalen Milroe, it wasn’t just a glorified practice session. He took it as seriously as he did a real game – and that showed late in the second half.

Milroe expressed frustration on the sideline as A-Day wound to a close, clearly upset with how things were going. Afterward, he said it was because he wanted to get himself in a game mentality and avoid complacency, even with the low stakes of the game.

It all came down to one word.

“All it is is passion,” Milroe told ESPN’s Molly McGrath. “It’s passion. Wanting to be the best version of ourselves every single time we touch the field. The biggest thing is we don’t want to be satisfied. We all have room to grow, always have things to improve on, stuff like that.

“But the biggest thing what we want to do is stack drives. Stack drives, keep getting better, touch that sideline and regroup. That’s all the main focus is. Eat drives, be attention to detail. Stuff like that.”

Milroe’s 2023 season got off to a rocky start, but he kicked it into high gear to help Alabama return to the College Football Playoff. But that Rose Bowl loss to Michigan still rings in his head as he gets ready for another go-round in Tuscaloosa.

That’s why he’s using last year to help create a better ending this season. It’s a source of motivation as Alabama enters its new era.

“The biggest thing we have to do is just be where our feet are and just constantly try to get better,” Jalen Milroe said. “We’re not satisfied with last year. It was a great turnaround from the start to finish, and along the process that we had all together we just had that family environment. I think that was a positive movement from last year, was the family-like environment, because it’s hard to stop a family.

“Transitioning to this offseason it’s all about the relationship aspect right now and then constantly growing into the best offense, best defense, best special teams, all as one. But with that you’re just all about trusting the process and embracing the grind, because it’s going to be hard. We’re going to have a hard season that’s ahead of us.”