Jimbo Fisher explains how Alabama QB Jalen Milroe is getting ‘better and better’

Jimbo Fisher explains how Alabama QB Jalen Milroe is getting ‘better and better’

Jalen Milroe has arguably played the best football of his collegiate career over the last two weeks. The proof can be seen in comparing the Alabama quarterback to his play in 2022.

In a sloppy SEC West rivalry game versus Texas A&M one year ago, Milroe produced three touchdowns. It was his first career start, replacing an injured Bryce Young, and Milroe showcased his dual-threat prowess. But Milroe also threw one interception, fumbled twice and was sacked four times — a reminder of his needed improvement.

Now firmly cemented as UA’s starter and arguably the best football of his career, Milroe will lead the Tide into Kyle Field for the first time since Alabama was upset in 2021. After praising Milroe during SEC Media Days in July, Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher again spoke glowingly on the SEC weekly teleconference:

“Milroe is getting better and better. Not only that, I mean, he’s scrambling, keeping his head up, making plays on the scramble. When he does take off, man, it’s a different level. He’s as good an athlete on their football team. That’s not knocking anybody else. The guy is phenomenal.”

The Aggies were at Arkansas last week and stifled Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson to 18 rushes for -3 yards when accounting for seven sacks. He also completed 9-of-17 passes. When a reporter asked if a similar plan was in store for Milroe, Fisher laughed.

“I can’t tell you that. But look, quarterbacks that are dual-threat guys that can throw it and run it, you have to have great perception and discipline about where you are in the game when you’re in the pocket and you’re rushing. … When this guy takes off, you may never catch him,” Fisher added.

Milroe completed 12-of-19 passes against Texas A&M a year ago in Tuscaloosa. That fell in line with Milroe’s career numbers (63%) and his 4.8 yards per rush for 81 total yards (Milroe’s average on the ground is 5.4). Comparatively, Milroe has been stronger in the pocket in wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

He’s still running, but at 27 total attempts for 97 yards and two touchdowns, Milroe’s efficiency has come as a passer. He completed 17-of-21 throws against the Rebels, setting a personal-high 81% completion rate. He eclipsed that against the Bulldogs on 10-of-12 passing, but more importantly, Milroe was executing the mid-level throws he’d been criticized for missing earlier in the season adding a pivotal threat to No. 10 Alabama’s (4-1, 2-0 SEC) arsenal.

The drawback was that Milroe was perhaps too hesitant to scramble. And though Alabama’s offensive line had one of its “better games” last Saturday, Milroe was still sacked four times. A few plays showed Milroe running into a tackle behind the line of scrimmage. Though, as Fisher hinted at during his Monday press conference, Milroe can take off for a 50-yard run at a moment’s notice, so it’s not like that element of his game has disappeared.

“You can hold the ball and try to figure things out, but then in the game that all changes,” said UA head coach Nick Saban of developing a quarterback’s internal clock. “So I think creating circumstances in practice where you have to get caught on time and you’re constantly talking about getting the ball out on time, I think that’s really, really important for guys to develop that sense of time clock. And its timing of the play. Sometimes you can hold the ball and the play opens for a second then it closes so you have to throw the ball on time, that’s very important and we have to keep working on that.”

The Aggies (4-1, 2-0) have limited quarterbacks to 157.6 yards per game on 53% passing. They’ve allowed six touchdowns and pulled in two interceptions, though five of those scores and nearly half the yards came in a 48-33 loss to Miami and Tyler Van Dyke. Milroe will try to find his own success when the teams meet this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT.

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Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com.