Kalen DeBoer reveals key area he wants to see Jalen Milroe improve

Jalen Milroe enters year two as Alabama‘s starting quarterback this fall coming off a College Football Playoff run last season. However, things are a bit different this offseason.

Nick Saban is off to enjoy retirement, while head coach Kalen DeBoer has stepped in as new face of the Crimson Tide’s football program. DeBoer has been building a relationship with his QB1 throughout the offseason, and broke down the improvements he still wants to see in Milroe so far during their short time together.

“He really came a long ways in processing, playing the game, moving the chains,” DeBoer said. “And so just when he hits fall camp, I think just having 100 percent confidence in every concept we put in, especially in the first week or two that he’s had rep after rep after rep and can not just execute but also run the whole show. Just telling every guy what their responsibility is. And so it goes beyond your position, it goes on to leading the rest of the offense.”

Presumably Alabama’s starting quarterback for the upcoming season, Milroe wasn’t featured as much as other quarterbacks during the spring game last month. He finished the game completing 3 of his 9 passes for 100 yards — including a 52-yard connection to Germie Bernard, who finished the day with three receptions going for 122 yards.

Although he wasn’t able to find his way into the end zone at last month’s A-Day showcase, Milroe’s resume speaks for itself. In 2023, his potential was there. Ultimately leading Alabama to a 12-2 overall record and an SEC Championship victory over Georgia, which helped push the Crimson Tide into the College Football Playoff where they eventually fell to eventual national champions Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Last season, Milroe finished 2,718 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He was also a significant threat on the ground, finishing the season with 468 rushing yards and a team-high 12 touchdowns on the ground. That type of dual-threat ability bodes well for DeBoer’s fast-paced offense.

While the spring game was a great start, the Crimson Tide will officially kick the Kalen DeBoer era off with a Week 1 matchup against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Aug. 31 inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. They’ll begin SEC play with a rematch of last year’s SEC Championship game against the Bulldogs on Sept. 28 — a game the entire nation will have its eyes on.