Alabama's Jalen Milroe: Bill O'Brien told me I shouldn't play QB
Jalen Milroe came into his own for Alabama as the 2023 college football season progressed, and now the Crimson Tide are gearing up to face No. 1 Michigan in the 2023 College Football Playoff semifinals. Even so, Milroe says that someone who used to call plays for him didn't believe in his ability.
Milroe said Thursday that former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien once told him that he should switch positions.
"All my life, even when I was in college, shoot, my own offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien told me I shouldn't play quarterback," Milroe said when asked about speculation over his life about whether he should be a quarterback. "So it's a lot of things I can have motivation on, and that's something I have motivation from. … how would you feel if I told you you sucked? Biggest thing for me, be true to myself, stay the same. Nothing changed about me. Only thing that changed about me was I had an opportunity, and I seized it. For me, the biggest thing was just stay true to myself and have a bigger purpose than anyone's opinion. ...
"He [O'Brien] told me a bunch of positions I could've switched to, but look where I'm at right now, so who gets the last laugh?"
O'Brien was Alabama's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2021-22 before leaving to become the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots for the 2023 NFL season.
Milroe appeared in eight games, starting once in place of then-reigning Heisman trophy winner Bryce Young in 2022. While Alabama won with Milroe under center, he was arguably more impactful with his legs than arm, completing just 58.5% of his passes, while logging 263 rushing yards in comparison to 297 passing yards on the season.
The Crimson Tide hired Notre Dame offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees for the same position to replace O'Brien for the 2023 season.
Alabama named Milroe its starting quarterback shortly before the 2023 opener. He was benched for Week 3 against USF after throwing two interceptions in Alabama's 34-24 loss at home to No. 3 Texas. Milroe regained the starting job for Alabama's Week 4 win over now-No. 11 Ole Miss and has been under center ever since. In fact, Alabama ran the table to get to the 2023 College Football Playoff, capped off by beating then-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC championship, delivering the Bulldogs their first loss in two years.
Across Alabama's 13 games this season, Milroe has totaled 2,718 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 177.5 passer rating, while completing 65.5% of his passes. He has also rushed for 468 yards and 12 touchdowns.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Milroe's standout moment came in the 2023 rendition of the Iron Bowl, as he completed a 31-yard touchdown pass on fourth down in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter to beat Auburn. Two weeks earlier, Milroe posted 374 total scrimmage yards (219 passing, 155 rushing) and four rushing touchdowns in Alabama's 42-28 win over now-No. 13 LSU.
As for how O'Brien's faring in Foxborough, the Patriots (4-11) boast one of the worst offenses in the NFL, averaging just 285.5 total yards (28th in NFL) and 14.1 points (last) per game.
[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]