Jalen Milroe becomes first Alabama QB to throw for three touchdowns, rush for two touchdowns in single game
As Alabama kicked off against Middle Tennessee State, there were plenty of questions surrounding the quarterback situation. Jalen Milroe was going to get the start on Saturday but nobody knew if he would hold down the job moving forward. Tyler Buchner was making a move in the competition, while Ty Simpson was still getting first-team reps.
Well, by the time Texas is on the field on Sept. 9, the questions might be gone. Milroe put on quite the show in the first half and took advantage of his opportunity in the second half. We knew about his dual-threat ability, especially the feet. A few deep passes have maybe silenced doubters, even if Alabama was expected to cruise.
In fact, Milroe made a bit of Alabama offensive history — an impressive feat considering the recent quarterbacks in Tuscaloosa. He is the first QB to throw for three touchdowns and rush for an additional two. Not even Jalen Hurts, who won SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a true freshman, was able to put up those numbers.
When speaking to SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic ahead of the game, Saban said he just wanted to see a good performance out of Milroe. Confidence was going to be a good data point as well, especially being the veteran quarterback out of the group.
It’s safe to say Saban is going to be happy with Milroe when evaluating the tape on Sunday morning.
“I think it’s all about how he performs and how he plays,” Saban said pregame. “We want him to be confident in how he plays and what he’s doing. He’s prepared well. I think Tommy has a good job with him. I think we got a good plan. Just got to perform.”
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Jalen Milroe could have locked down quarterback job for Alabama
Saban did not name a starter following the game. But based on how Milroe played and the type of reps Buchner and Simpson received, it’s easy to assume he is going to be the guy moving forward. Consistency has been a key theme throughout the quarterback battle and doing so with playing time is likely coming from Saban.
Milroe entered as the most experienced of the three. He started a game last season against Texas A&M when Bryce Young went down with an injury. There was also the closeout against Arkansas, making a few big plays in Fayetteville.
Some big games are ahead of Alabama and based on Saturday’s results, Milroe is going to be leading the offense moving forward.