Who’s leading QB1 race in FALL practice?

[JustNeedMe81]

You really answered your own question - why are people so down on Milroe? it's because he hasn't yet shown several things he should be able to do to be an effective QB. The same was true of Hurts - it was very true that he was pretty much a one read and run QB for his first two years. Milroe shows that same tendency right now, but Milroe, right now, is not even close to where Hurts was, as a true freshmen, as far as timing, anticipation, and honestly just passing consistency.

What happened was Hurts got benched for someone who'd make all the reads and make sure the WRs were all involved. In year three for Hurts, once Tua got the start, he started forcing himself to progress in making all the reads and be more patient - he had to or he would not play anything more than mop-up. Sometimes a hard situation like losing a starting spot is a great way to get motivated to get better in certain areas and Hurts certainly did that - something that should earn him a lot of respect because not everyone has the type of character to react the right way like he did. We are now at the beginning of year three for Milroe, and really we are not seeing much at all yet.

I think we all want to give him a bit of grace cause I don't know that he got great QB coaching his first two years, but really we'd expect more from a 3rd year guy than we are seeing now. that said, I'll be just as happy for him if he turns the corner and starts progressing in his developmental areas as I was happy for Hurts when it became obvious he was making significant strides.

H had BOB as QB coach for 2 years. he has improved in 3 years... he's continuing to improve and will improve going forward. Again he was raw coming out of HS

In all fairness, Jalen didn't fully blossom into an NFL quality passer until he transferred to OK.

So you're gonna ingore his performance final season at Alabama? Who helped him developed? It was Dan Eno. Oklahoma helped him. He took what he learned and used it when he played for Oklahoma. He was already better QB when he went there.

 

[Ledsteplin]

In all fairness, Jalen didn't fully blossom into an NFL quality passer until he transferred to OK.

Actually he improved while still at Bama. Dan Enos worked with him. And we saw the results when Jalen came in and replaced injured Tua against Georgia.

 

[BamaMoon]

It's going to be different watching a ball of anxiousness panicking after the first read isn't open vs someone with ice water running through their veins going through their progressions. We were spoiled with a long run of top sec qbs, so this year we're back down to earth with our QB. We'll just have to be otherwordly with a few other positions to pick up the slack. I will gladly eat a plate of crow if I am wrong about the QB being a weak spot.

You ain't wrong, but we are forgetting BOB just allowed BY to be BY at the expense of everything else.

So, what if TR "gameplans" for JM to just have "one read" and then run? I'm not saying this will be "fun" or even "effective" every time, but it may keep us out of a lot of negative plays (especially INTs) if JM can hold on to the ball while running.

 

[AWRTR]

You ain't wrong, but we are forgetting BOB just allowed BY to be BY at the expense of everything else.

So, what if TR "gameplans" for JM to just have "one read" and then run? I'm not saying this will be "fun" or even "effective" every time, but it may keep us out of a lot of negative plays (especially INTs) if JM can hold on to the ball while running.

That won’t work against a good defense, and the WR’s will lose their minds and transfer and I won’t blame them.

 

[AWRTR]

Actually he improved while still at Bama. Dan Enos worked with him. And we saw the results when Jalen came in and replaced injured Tua against Georgia.

He was just as good at the end of the season when he won the SECCG when Tua went down. That guy put the work in and I’m not ashamed to say I teared up a little when he and Saban were interviewed after the game because that young man did it right.

 

[BamaMoon]

That won’t work against a good defense, and the WR’s will lose their minds and transfer and I won’t blame them.

Big picture, I agree. I'm talking about "baby steps" for now. 2nd or 3rd game in add a second read. And so on.

But if the other two can't beat out JM, what else can TR do?

 

[AWRTR]

Big picture, I agree. I'm talking about "baby steps" for now. 2nd or 3rd game in add a second read. And so on.

But if the other two can't beat out JM, what else can TR do?

Problem is your second game is Texas. They aren’t as talented as Bama, but they have legit talent and coaching. They will stall out the bama offense.

 

[Ledsteplin]

It's going to be different watching a ball of anxiousness panicking after the first read isn't open vs someone with ice water running through their veins going through their progressions. We were spoiled with a long run of top sec qbs, so this year we're back down to earth with our QB. We'll just have to be otherwordly with a few other positions to pick up the slack. I will gladly eat a plate of crow if I am wrong about the QB being a weak spot.

Good grief! Jalen Milroe is a good quarterback. If he were not a good quarterback, he would not be top contender for the starting job at Alabama. He will be fine! I'm not concerned. You and others talk about him like he can't play at all. At least give him a chance, before you go bashing him as a weak spot!

 

[BamaMoon]

Problem is your second game is Texas. They aren’t as talented as Bama, but they have legit talent and coaching. They will stall out the bama offense.

Word of the week is "O-LINE"

That's the temporary and perhaps the permanent solution to a weak QB.

I mean, for all we know JM or another one of the QBs pop and this isn't a concern.

But if we can get "average/slightly above" QB play with a resurgent OL and RB group that seems hungry we can manage the first part of the schedule.

Perhaps this is a "half full glass" perspective, but it would seem it's where we are and we are just going to have to wait and see.

"Patience is a virtue" and I'm saying that mostly for me!

 

[davefrat]

H had BOB as QB coach for 2 years. he has improved in 3 years... he's continuing to improve and will improve going forward. Again he was raw coming out of HS

So you're gonna ingore his performance final season at Alabama? Who helped him developed? It was Dan Eno. Oklahoma helped him. He took what he learned and used it when he played for Oklahoma. He was already better QB when he went there.

I acknowledged that he improved during that season, so I'm not sure where you get that I'm ignoring his performance in his final season. But he was better at the end of the season at OK than he was at the end of the season with us.

It's not like it's some mystery that Riley is known as a very good QB coach.

If I say he's a better passer in the NFL than he was at OK, does that mean I'm ignoring his improvements while at OK?

And if he's better this year than last, does that mean I'm ignoring his improvements last season?

 

[mlh]

Texas will be watching Bama Saturday for sure. But they may not learn much, except Bama has 3 good quarterbacks, a top notch run game, and a stout defense.

They will be shocked when we come out wearing white helmets and running the wishbone!

 

[gtgilbert]

You ain't wrong, but we are forgetting BOB just allowed BY to be BY at the expense of everything else.

So, what if TR "gameplans" for JM to just have "one read" and then run? I'm not saying this will be "fun" or even "effective" every time, but it may keep us out of a lot of negative plays (especially INTs) if JM can hold on to the ball while running.

Thing is, at least to this point, we haven't seen JM be able to make the one fast read and throw on time. I'm not saying he can't, or won't, just that he has not shown that skill so far, at least not in what's been viewable to the public.

 

[gtgilbert]

H had BOB as QB coach for 2 years. he has improved in 3 years... he's continuing to improve and will improve going forward. Again he was raw coming out of HS

I never said that he hasn't improved, or can't/won't continue to improve. Only assessing where he is right now and my opinion of the skillset we have seen, versus the skillset we'd expect any starter to have. again, IMHO there are still sizable gaps.

 

[TiderJack]

That won’t work against a good defense, and the WR’s will lose their minds and transfer and I won’t blame them.

Yep and that is what the elite WR recruits were saying when Jalen was our starter. We are not going to be balanced to our possible detriment but we need a QB that will distribute the ball to all of our playmakers without making turnovers.

 

[HighlandOak]

They will be shocked when we come out wearing white helmets and running the wishbone!

Oh gosh, not the white helmets.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Based on Saban’s comments yesterday, I think he’s pretty settled in on Milroe starting Saturday. I’m not saying that’s good or bad. I’m saying that’s how I interpret Saban’s words.

When Saban mentioned “significant” improvement for Milroe, and was silent on the other QBs, I heard that as a message to Milroe, intended to boost his confidence.

Whether Milroe actually has made significant improvement, I don’t know. Based on reports on the 8/19 scrimmage, and assuming he has in fact gotten a lot better, the light must have come on in the 10 days since then.

We’ll get an inkling Saturday, though only an inkling. I seriously doubt that MTSU will provide the level of competition needed to tell for sure.

Regardless, after a month of pre-season camp and 5 days before the first game, it does no good to publicly remind your Game 1 starter of his shortcomings.

 

[TitleWave]

They will be shocked when we come out wearing white leather helmets and running the wishbone again off a shift from the Notre Dame box!

Yeah!

 

[twofbyc]

I guess but ALL of the reviews of the QBs have been inconsistent.

Idk that Milroe is an NFL QB but depending on where his passing is he could probably be a pretty effective college QB.

We have a member of TF who can tell you exactly who all of the folks on here were who said pretty much the same thing about Jalen Hurts. His passing wasn’t very good when he first started and it took a LONG time for it to become “good”, even to the point many on here said he’d never make it as an NFL QB. If (big if) JM improves his accuracy (very possible because he has a strong arm) and his reading of defenses/ progressions instead of taking off if his first option isn’t there (like JH did - and this might be a bigger challenge for him), we don’t know how good he can be.
Seems like a real possibility we’ll see all three in real game situations before the season is over unless one of them steps up and stands out.

 

[Ledsteplin]

We have a member of TF who can tell you exactly who all of the folks on here were who said pretty much the same thing about Jalen Hurts. His passing wasn’t very good when he first started and it took a LONG time for it to become “good”, even to the point many on here said he’d never make it as an NFL QB. If (big if) JM improves his accuracy (very possible because he has a strong arm) and his reading of defenses/ progressions instead of taking off if his first option isn’t there (like JH did - and this might be a bigger challenge for him), we don’t know how good he can be.
Seems like a real possibility we’ll see all three in real game situations before the season is over unless one of them steps up and stands out.

I never thought Jalen's passes were bad. He always seemed to pass ok. But he got where he simply wouldn't pass, when he should have. Instead, he'd take off running. And defenses knew it.

 

[CB4]

IIRC the big issue for Jalen was, as a sophomore, he really didn’t progress in terms of reads/progressions. I think that, because of being thrust into that starter role as a freshman and being the great athlete, Jalen was forced into a “one read or run” QB. And CNS and Kiffin felt like this offered the best opportunity at success as a freshman. The problem was this became Jalen’s “comfort zone”. And who could blame him? In 90% of those cases he could “out athlete” the others guys and make a play.

As a sophomore, Jalen still lacked patience in the pocket to allow the play to develop, and get through the progressions. And he lacked “touch” with those intermediate to deep routes when he did throw them. It wasn’t that he “couldn’t” throw it. He just lacked the patience. I think we all recall some of the frustration our WR group was experiencing at that time.

The 2017 Auburn game was the eye opener. The Barn “jammed, held and mugged” every receiver, took away the primary read and made Jalen tremendously uncomfortable. They shut down our run and said “beat us with throws down the field”. And we couldn’t.

And credit Jalen. He accepted the fact that, if he was going to play in the NFL, he had to learn that pocket presence. And going to a pass happy, defense is optional Big 12 at Oklahoma gave Jalen that developmental opportunity.

That will be the big question for Milroe. He surely did not progress in the two years under BoB here. However, I think it is apparent Milroe has the tools. If I remember correctly, he was heavily recruited as a duel threat QB by many big name programs, not just as an athlete.

So has “the light come on” for Milroe? I certainly hope so. I guess we’ll find out beginning on Saturday evening and going forward.