Jalen Milroe ranks among nation’s best statistically, but has made mistakes
Statistically, he ranks among the nation’s best.
Milroe has been named to every “watch list” for post-season awards and has been national and Southeastern Conference player of week award winner several times.
And yet, there are those who accentuate the negative. Presumably, he also shares blame for completing a 34-yard touchdown pass to Germie Bernard in the final two minutes of Bama’s 27-25 win over South Carolina last week because the Gamecocks had a mathematical chance to come back and win.
It’s long been held that the quarterback gets more of the share of the credit and more of the blame.
The first question put to Alabama Coach Kalen DeBoer who met with reporters Monday was how Milroe could put his mistakes in the South Carolina game behind him. (Milroe also rushed for two TDs in that game.)
DeBoer didn’t mention any Milroe negatives in the game, saying, “I’m really intentional with him because I know how hard he is on himself. No regrets when we walk off this football field, knowing we’ve given everything we’ve got, and that’s just what I try to do when it comes to those times.
not just with him, with our whole team.
“Those tight game moments, we’re all in this together, and we want to continue to learn. And so I’m going to remind him, coach him up on the situations we’re in, how to apply the things we’ve talked about throughout the course of our time together so far. How to learn what’s happening this game and then just continue to move on. And we just keep stacking these moments on top of these moments. He’ll remember anything that happened this game. He’s going to remember what happened to him four weeks ago, and that’s what I love about him.
“He is up here (in the football offices), he lives up here pretty much, wanting to be around the coaches. It’s not just me, it’s other staff members. And just from my standpoint, to answer your question, I think it’s just a matter of continuing to move forward, process, go 1-0 – as you’ve heard many of our players say – and what that all means. Learn from it, flush it, play in the present, next-play mindset.”
Offensive Coordinator Nick Sheridan was asked how Milroe has handled decision making under pressure.
“I think Jalen has responded great in those moments,” Sheridan said. “There always are going to be plays where you wish you could handle differently, I think that’s the nature of the position.”
Some decisions, he said, work out and others don’t, and they are learning opportunities.
Regarding “the next progression point” for Milroe, Sheridan said, “Every time you go out on the field you send a message or an invitation.
“When you have things that you do well, you’re sending a message to the other team that this is something that we’re really good at. When you struggle with something — any player, any scheme, any coach — then you’re inviting them to try to see if you fixed it. I think that occurs each and every week for us. Jalen’s no different.
“I think for all of us it’s identifying the things that we need to be better at and trying to fix those issues as you’re moving forward to the next game.”
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