Jalen Milroe on transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer: ‘It’s different’

Jalen Milroe signed to Alabama with hopes to have a full career under legendary head coach Nick Saban. However, when Saban retired and Alabama hired Kalen DeBoer to be its next head coach, Milroe was one of the first players to endorse him.

Milroe has not changed his tune. During an appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Thursday, the Alabama quarterback pulled back the curtain on the transition into the DeBoer Era.

“It’s different,” Milroe said. “Coach Saban was a great coach to all of us. He put us in a position to be successful on and off the field. But now with the transition of Coach DeBoer, we’re all just trying to adjust.

“But the biggest thing we have done is just embrace it, embrace change and also try to get better and try to just buy into the process. And we’re doing a great job with that.”

DeBoer certainly has a solid foundation to build the program on with Milroe behind center. The 6-foot-2 QB finished this past season with 2,718 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

He was also a significant threat on the ground, finishing the year with 468 rushing yards and a team-high 12 touchdowns on the ground. While Milroe is embracing the challenge of a rebrand at Alabama, he knows success will require a team effort.

Jalen Milroe believes leaders will arise in the change

“This is where leaders can really step up,” Milroe said. “That’s what I’ve seen so far is each leader stepping up in each of the position groups, and I like that a lot. That’s been helping us a lot and that’s been helping us gel together as one. We’re one team with one heartbeat, and it’s just evident when it goes on the field. We have shared success in each room.

“That’s what I’m seeing right now. It’s all of us gelling together as one and I’m seeing this while we’re here in April. So as we continue to go on this process, that’s what it’s going to take… It’s a process, but all I can say is where we’re at right now, we’re doing a really good job of just trusting it and Coach DeBoer is gonna put us in position to be successful.”

DeBoer’s résumé has given Milroe no reason to have doubt. In the 2023 campaign, DeBoer led Washington to a 14-1 record, Pac-12 title and first national championship appearance in the College Football Playoff Era. Now, with Milroe’s help, DeBoer will look to bring similar success to Tuscaloosa.