Jalen Milroe didn’t have his best game to close out the 2024 season and possibly his Alabama football career. Far from it.

Milroe completed 16 of 32 passes for 192 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Michigan. He also ran 16 times for seven yards, but that accounts for sack yardage. Milroe also had two fumbles the Wolverines recovered in the first quarter.

Milroe couldn’t push the offense to a score late when it needed one. As a result, Alabama fell 19-13 to the Wolverines on Tuesday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

After the game, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was asked to reflect on the season Milroe had, how he grew and how he handled being the face of the program.

“Well I think everyone would probably share the same feeling I have, is that the guy always speaks about the team,” DeBoer said. “He always speaks about his teammates. It’s not about him. He leads that way every day in our program. When you’re the quarterback of any football team, the eyes are always on you, especially when you’re at Alabama, and you’re going through some ups and downs once in a while in the course of a season. It takes on a heavy burden sometimes. He’s just steady. He stays the course.”

DeBoer saw fight in Milroe and an ability to move forward even when he made mistakes. That showed Tuesday when Milroe led the offense to 10 points in the second quarter after the disastrous start.

“I thought that’s one area where he’s really improved, especially in the last half of the season,” DeBoer said. “I think our guys appreciate that in him. I think that they have taken that on as a team, too in always trying to move forward, even when we’re not perfect.”

Milroe finished the season with 16 passing touchdowns, 20 rushing touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.