A year ago, Alabama football QB Jalen Milroe was one of the most frequently sacked quarterbacks in college football. The Crimson Tide’s fourth-year junior, for all his wondrous ability to elude would-be tacklers, was sacked 44 times in 14 games, more than three times per on average. During one six-game stretch, he was dropped a whopping 28 times, and the Alabama offense suffered greatly for it.
Blame for the problem rightly fell in a number of different directions. Pass protection was often poor, and when it was at its worst, even one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the game had little to no chance of escaping. Shotgun snaps from former UA center Seth McLaughlin were too often off target, resulting in Milroe having to fall on loose balls in the backfield. Part of the issue was Milroe himself, however, for either holding the ball too long in the pocket, or failing to recognize pre-snap that the line’s protection call needed to be changed.
On the latter point, Milroe is making clear strides in 2024.
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Milroe said that while there is no substitute for game experience, he’s developed in this area primarily in practice and from watching film.
“You gain experience with different (defensive) looks, different dynamics that defenses present. You’re able to pick up different things,” Milroe said. “But that’s something I try to dial in on when it comes to film prep, and during the week with practices. That’s where you master the game of football. I’m trying to keep on building.”
FOX Sports college football analyst Urban Meyer, the former Florida and Ohio State coach, said prior to Alabama’s road win at Wisconsin that checking protections remained an area where Milroe needs to improve. Hours later, Milroe enjoyed some of the best protection he’s had in his career; the Wisconsin pass rush struggled to get anywhere near him, and his protection checks were part of the reason. UA coach Kalen DeBoer said Milroe’s pre-snap recognition of oncoming blitzes or other pressure is especially critical on third downs. Defenses often disguise blitzes, making that a difficult task for the quarterback. And when blitzers do show their intentions pre-snap, they sometimes step forward so late in the play clock that Milroe has little time to adjust. It’s a nuanced skill, but DeBoer has placed full trust in the veteran.
“We are continuing to ask more and more of him as he gets more comfortable with what we do. And we know that that is gonna need to be the case where — he has full rein right now,” DeBoer said. “He knows what the expectations are and what we really prefer him to be doing with the checks, and he’s been really solid.”
As two of Alabama’s four team captains, Milroe and left guard Tyler Booker, UA’s most experienced offensive lineman, take good pre-snap communication personally. Particularly after last year’s struggles, getting into the right protection call was an offseason emphasis for both. And like Milroe, Booker said it comes foremost with preparation.
“(Jalen) always makes sure we do a great job of watching film together,” Booker said. “If there’s something we see that he doesn’t see, we’ll let him know, and vice versa.”
