BREAKING Alabama QB Jalen Milroe to return for senior season

[Ledsteplin]

Would Saban trust him against South Florida?

He might reach deep into the QB room and play Sayin instead.

 

[crimsonaudio]

So, JM announced he is returning for his senior year a whole year in advanced? Isn't he just a RS Junior next year and would still have 1 more year of eligibility?

This is his junior season (he joined Bama as an early enrollee in 2021).

Remember, some student-athletes are still focused on being students.

 

[Ledsteplin]

So, JM announced he is returning for his senior year a whole year in advanced? Isn't he just a RS Junior next year and would still have 1 more year of eligibility?


JM hasn't won a national championship yet either so, maybe pump the breaks a little already.


Man, some of these new posters are really aggressive.

Everywhere I look, they're saying he's a senior next year. He's a redshirt sophomore now, so does he skip "Junior"? Next year will be his 4th year.

 

[Ledsteplin]

This is his junior season (he joined Bama as an early enrollee in 2021).

Remember, some student-athletes are still focused on being students.

View attachment 39212

They have him listed in the roster as a redshirt sophomore. That's where the confusion comes from.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Guys, I don't know what to tell you re: rolltide.com (they're likely basing it purely off eligibility), but he was here in 2021, 2022, and now 2023. Unless he's been slacking on classwork he's entering his fourth (senior) year. We know he's NOT been slacking on his schoolwork as he just graduated with a business degree.

This is his third season at Bama, academically he's a rising 'senior'.

 

[landonew]

Swap the two out last year with that defense and o line and Alabama loses 4 or 5 games.

In 13 months, JM will have won back-to-back SEC championships, back-to-back national championships, and a Heisman. Sometime saying things earlier than everyone else makes you sound outlandish. I’m ok with that. This kid is special.

 

[Tidelines]

In 13 months, JM will have won back-to-back SEC championships, back-to-back national championships, and a Heisman. Sometime saying things earlier than everyone else makes you sound outlandish. I’m ok with that. This kid is special.

We all hope you are correct !

 

[BamaInBham]

Good move for Bama and Milroe. If JM locks down quick decision-making and a consistent short-to-medium route passing game (which have both improved a lot this season) to add to his long ball and wheels he'll be nearly unstoppable if OL play holds up.

With a 2024 schedule like Bama's , I'm glad he's returning.

His short game is not great but OK and has been, it's the improving intermediate throws where he needs the most improvement.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

His short game is not great but OK and has been, it's the improving intermediate throws where he needs the most improvement.

I think Rees has done an excellent job with the scheme to create bigger windows for him to throw into wrt the short passing game. No doubt Rees used formation, motion and certain types of plays to make the intermediate areas of the field less crowded for JMilroe and the offense took off.

 

[landonew]

I think Rees has done an excellent job with the scheme to create bigger windows for him to throw into wrt the short passing game. No doubt Rees used formation, motion and certain types of plays to make the intermediate areas of the field less crowded for JMilroe and the offense took off.

The reason JM has open receivers in the short passing game is because his dual threat ability impacts LB and edge formation/personnel/responsibilities.

Georgia ran dual spies at times. Have you ever even heard of that? I certainly haven’t.

 

[BamaMoon]

It will be interesting to see what type of player Milroe will be next year. Will he be hesitant to run fearing injury would hurt his draft status. Will he revert back to trying to be a pocket passer instead of a dual threat QB, which is his strength. He could really be special if he is motivated and plays to his strengths.

I hope he understands and is coached to play to his strengths. He is most lethal when he does so. He's a decent passer, as of now. He's outstanding as a runner, especially when he's going north and south. But when you put the threat of him doing both that's when he's most dangerous.

In time, he may prove to be a pocket passer, but the allurement of NFL Scouts with Jalen is they see him as another Lamar Jackson not Tom Brady.

 

[BamaInBham]

Hopefully it's about more than just winning the locker room. If he doesn't win a Championship this year, then a lot of the concerns we've had about him will come rushing back. If Texas does the same thing to him that they did last time, then I'm not sure he deserves to be the starter. We are just gonna have to see what happens in the playoffs. If he wins it, then he obviously deserves to be the starter, but there's still work to be done

It doesn't matter what happens (within reason) in the remainder of the season, the job should be and will be Milroe's to lose next year, even though Saban may say what he usually does regarding returning starters, but Jalen will be the clear incumbent. He was 2nd team All-SEC QB behind only the Heisman trophy winner and finished 6th in the Heisman race himself.

Btw, although Jalen threw the 2 bad ints, costing 10 points, that game was not all on him. Although the D played reasonably well through 3 qtrs, as soon as Jalen brought Alabama from behind to give them a lead late in the 3rd qtr, the D immediately gave up a TD (75 yds in 3 plays), then later when Jalen brought Ala to within 3 in the 4th qtr, the D immediately gave up another TD, then finally they allowed Texas to run out the clock for literally the last half of the 4th qtr. Although Jalen contributed to the OL problems, the OL did not play well at all and the running game, aside from Jalen's scrambles was almost non-existent; the RBs gained 63 yards. Jalen was the offense gaining 299 (255 & 44 really 75, the 44 included the sacks (5 for 31 yards)) of Alabama's 362 yards. It was a team loss, it's misleading, thus, unfair to put all of the blame on Jalen. It would be like blaming AJ for losing the 2012 A&M game because he also threw 2 ints but for 14 points in a game lost by 5, not 10 - one led to a TD by A&M, the other cost Alabama a TD. They were both team losses but no one said a word about AJ.

Your take is beyond puzzling, but certainly disrespectful and unappreciative of what Jalen has accomplished this year. It's because of his extraordinary skills that Alabama won the SEC and has a chance to win a NC. His passing stats were almost identical, including ints, to AJ's first year and that does not include Jalen's far greater rushing stats and running threat. Jalen plays in a more offense friendly era than AJ with worse WRs, but had a much weaker OL and RB room, and while this D is good and usually timely, it is not like the '11 D. This team is dependent on Jalen while AJ was able to be a game manager til the NC game.

 

[AlexanderFan]

It doesn't matter what happens (within reason) in the remainder of the season, the job should be and will be Milroe's to lose next year, even though Saban may say what he usually does regarding returning starters, but Jalen will be the clear incumbent. He was 2nd team All-SEC QB behind only the Heisman trophy winner and finished 6th in the Heisman race himself.

Btw, although Jalen threw the 2 bad ints, costing 10 points, that game was not all on him. Although the D played reasonably well through 3 qtrs, as soon as Jalen brought Alabama from behind to give them a lead late in the 3rd qtr, the D immediately gave up a TD (75 yds in 3 plays), then later when Jalen brought Ala to within 3 in the 4th qtr, the D immediately gave up another TD, then finally they allowed Texas to run out the clock for literally the last half of the 4th qtr. Although Jalen contributed to the OL problems, the OL did not play well at all and the running game, aside from Jalen's scrambles was almost non-existent; the RBs gained 63 yards. Jalen was the offense gaining 299 (255 & 44 really 75, the 44 included the sacks (5 for 31 yards)) of Alabama's 362 yards. It was a team loss, it's misleading, thus, unfair to put all of the blame on Jalen. It would be like blaming AJ for losing the 2012 A&M game because he also threw 2 ints but for 14 points in a game lost by 5, not 10 - one led to a TD by A&M, the other cost Alabama a TD. They were both team losses but no one said a word about AJ.

Your take is beyond puzzling, but certainly disrespectful and unappreciative of what Jalen has accomplished this year. It's only because of his extraordinary skills that Alabama won the SEC and has a chance to win a NC. His passing stats were almost identical, including ints, to AJ's first year and that does not include Jalen's far greater rushing stats and running threat. Jalen plays in a more offense friendly era than AJ with worse WRs, but had a much weaker OL and RB room, and while this D is good and usually timely, it is not like the '11 D. This team is dependent on Jalen while AJ was able to be a game manager til the NC game.

You’re talking in circles. So Milroe has a more friendly offensive environment to work in(agree) than AJ, they put up similar stats, but AJ was a game manager?

 

[landonew]

You’re talking in circles. So Milroe has a more friendly offensive environment to work in(agree) than AJ, they put up similar stats, but AJ was a game manager?

AJ was a fifth round pick; JM is projected top 15. He’s not talking in circles, you are just not very good at evaluating talent.

 

[B1GTide]

AJ was a fifth round pick; JM is projected top 15. He’s not talking in circles, you are just not very good at evaluating talent.

No need to get personal. We all hope you are right about Milroe.

 

[Tidelines]

AJ was a fifth round pick; JM is projected top 15. He’s not talking in circles, you are just not very good at evaluating talent.

So what is your background? Are you a QB coach? If so you have a leg to stand on. If not, you have an opinion like the rest of us.

 

[landonew]

No need to get personal. We all hope you are right about Milroe.

Fair comment. Thank you. A faction of this fanbase has developed an entitled mentality. We should be appreciative of JM and his contributions. If you go to the Georgia or Michigan forums, there’s not a hint of shade thrown at their QBs. Why are we so different?

 

[landonew]

So what is your background? Are you a QB coach? If so you have a leg to stand on. If not, you have an opinion like the rest of us.

So we can acknowledge that neither of our opinions are worth a grain of salt? Fantastic, I’ll defer to the NFL scouts. They get paid to evaluate talent and their evaluation of JM is extremely favorable.

 

[BamaInBham]

I’m still here, and he’s still a below average distributor of the ball to the talented playmakers around him. He’s inaccurate on the mid range throws, late on them as well. He also has a tendency to lock on to favorites and throw into dangerous coverage. He has yet to show he can consistently go through his progressions to the checkdowns. His intern clock is off and he refuses to avoid sacks by throwing the ball away.

Has he improved? Absolutely, more than any Alabama player at any position in recent memory. Does the team believe in him? Obviously, they do, as does the coaching staff.

Just because people didn’t “feel” Milroe means the critiques of his play were incorrect. It also doesn’t mean people hope he fails, because that means the team fails as well.

Milroe coming back is the most beneficial decision for both parties involved: Milroe needs the teaching, and Alabama needs a veteran presence to navigate next year’s schedule.

IMO, what some think and I agree, is that Jalen's mistakes and shortcomings were over-emphasized and his skills and accomplishments were understated from the beginning by a vocal segment of the fan base. Yes, there were and still are areas for improvement and the 2 ints in the Texas game were costly but the criticism he received and the unwillingness to give him some time were unprecedented in my memory, especially towards a player.

Most people probably don't remember that AJ threw 2 ints vs A&M in the 2012 loss that cost Alabama 14 points in a 5 pt game, Jalen's 2 cost 10 pts in a 10 pt game. The reason most don't remember is that very few if anyone criticized AJ. IMO, that's the way it should be from one's own fan base. To be fair, AJ was far more proven so there wasn't the concern that there was with Jalen (though that cuts both ways), but it really doesn't matter in regard to the criticism. And Jalen played well apart from the ints, keeping Ala in the game with his arm and legs, twice bringing them back in the 2nd half - none of his critics, or even most supporters ever reference that. He gained 299 of Ala's 362 yards, including 44 net on the ground, 75 w/o the sacks. That was with the Ala OL being woeful in both the run game and passing game. 63 yards were gained by the the RBs - Jalen with help from the WRs, but mostly Jalen, was the offense. Jeff Rutledge's 5 ints vs Neb in '77 in a 7 pt loss didn't incite nearly the criticism that Jalen's 2 did vs Texas.

 

[BamaInBham]

To be fair he’s had pedestrian outings against teams on that list up there, except LSU.

No he hasn't. He's been in the top 20 in passing efficiency the entire year, top 10 or 12 most of it, and finished #3 among P5 QBs, #4 overall. His YPA, a key metric, has been great all year, from the beginning.