It’s been a hard few games for Jalen Milroe. Alabama football’s quarterback threw two interceptions in both the Crimson Tide’s narrow win over South Carolina, and loss to Tennessee.
For a redshirt junior who was expected to mount a Heisman Trophy campaign this season, it’s been a frustrating stretch. According to UA head coach Kalen DeBoer, speaking during a Friday appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter,
“We just gotta get back to when he’s at his best and not try to do too much, not try to get outside of what he’s capable of,” DeBoer said. “He’s a phenomenal athlete, player, person. Just really do what he does best. Understand what makes him different then other quarterbacks.”
Milroe completed 25 of his 45 passing attempts in the loss to Tennessee, throwing his final interception on the Crimson Tide’s last drive, ending Alabama’s chance to drive for a win or tie in Knoxville. His rushing production has been down over the past few games as well, as he was held to 36 yards on the ground by the Gamecocks and 11 by the Volunteers.
The run game dip started against Vanderbilt, when Milroe was kept to 10 yards on the ground in defeat, a week after he ran for 117 and two touchdowns against Georgia.
“That’s always something we’re gonna make sure we try to do, is tailor things around what he can do for us,” DeBoer said. “Help him be confident with that, make sure that the other guys around him are all doing their job at an extremely high level so that makes his job just a little bit easier, doesn’t put as much pressure on him. We all just need to have everyone pick up their game and I know he’ll do the same, because it means a lot to him.”
Alabama will face Missouri next, Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:45 p.m. CT and will be aired on ABC.
