When discussing Alabama football and Kalen DeBoer, former Notre Dame star Brady Quinn showed some trepidation about the Crimson Tide game plan via a rhetorical question posed to ESPN's Paul Finebaum. Quinn wondered if Alabama football quarterback Jalen Milroe fit DeBoer's game plan, considering how the coach used Michael Penix Jr. at Washington the last two seasons.
“I think for Kalen DeBoer, looking at what he has. I think Jalen Milroe is one of the best quarterbacks in college football, but if you look at what Kalen DeBoer did with Michael Penix for the two years he was in Washington, he transformed him from a different player from his time in Indiana. They threw the football all around the field. I don’t know that Jalen Milroe, out of the gate, will be able to do that this year. So, how do you go about constructing the offense to play to his strengths? That will be another one of his challenges.”
DeBoer could have moved on from Milroe. Earlier in the year, the 6'2″, 225 lbs junior spoke on why he decided to skip the transfer portal.
“I’ve got a lot of stuff at Alabama I still want to achieve,” Jalen Milroe said, per Jamie Hale of ABC3340 in Birmingham. “I signed my letter of intent to come to the University of Alabama. It’s all about staying here and building. The guys were have in locker room is a really good group. Super excited for what’s ahead for our football team. We’re excited to have Coach DeBoer in and the coaching staff that’s here.”
To Quinn's question, they are different players. Milroe threw for 2,718 yards and ran for another 468 yards last year. Penix Jr. went over 4,000 yards in his two years with DeBoer in Washington but had just 68 rushing yards.
How Alabama football, Kalen DeBoer can utilize Jalen Milroe to his full potential
Often, coaches are thoaught of as having specific offenses as their specialty. This is true, but don't underestimate the ability of a high-level coach to tailor a game plan to fit his player's strengths. Quinn's question was rhetorical, not pointed. DeBoer views Milroe as a leader on this Alabama football team as he explained during his appearance on the Green Light Podcast with Chris Long.
“Jalen Milroe, you know the experience being the quarterback, just the things he took the team through, the ups and downs, then also being steady when all of this transition happened and just one of the first people I met when I walked into the team room when I got a chance to meet the team,” DeBoer said.
One under-heralded member of Alabama football is new transfer C Parker Brailsford. The redshirt sophomore is one of the best young players in the country and has mountains of potential. Should he opt to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, he could be a first-round pick.
