Jalen Milroe: 'I want to master the game of football'

Jalen Milroe found success last season in leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff, but he wants to reach a new level in 2024. The Crimson Tide quarterback has undergone a coaching change from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer, and is taking lessons from both heading into this year.

Milroe threw for 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions this past season in his first year as a starter while also rushing for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns. Speaking on Next Up with Adam Breneman he opened up on wanting to master the cerebral side of things in his second season as starter.

“As a quarterback, there’s a lot of things you can dive deep into and improve in,” Milroe said. “But for me, I want to master the game of football. Run game, passing game, pass protection, run schemes. I want to see football in the lens of an offensive coordinator or head coach. The teams that are able to be excellent and very efficient and successful are teams with a very good quarterback that can seen in the lenses of the caller and a very good defense. I’m observant of that.”

Milroe acknowledged that he still has a lot of room to improve from last season. His completion percentage of 65.8% was solid, but ranked only sixth in the SEC. His interception to touchdown ratio was also solid, but trimming down the turnovers wouldn’t hurt either.

DeBoer helped develop Michael Penix Jr. into a first round pick this past season while leading Washington to the nation’s No. 2 passing offense. If his coaching can have the same effect on Milroe, it will be a big benefit for the Crimson Tide.

Being a first-year starter, you’re not going to grasp everything as a whole your first year,” the QB said. “I acknowledge that. Starting there, I already think I’m going to catapult myself because of the acknowledgement that I’m not finished. Now having coach DeBoer, coach Sheridan and each coach on staff, they’re going to keep pushing me and keep bettering me. So starting with the foundation, it starts with acknowledgment and it starts with the confidence level that you have in yourself.

“That’s what’s gonna get you better. So right now the biggest thing I’ve got to do is look at the present tense. Being the best quarterback I can be for my teammates and not look ahead.”