Can Alabama QB Jalen Milroe make a jump in 2024?
Alabama has entered the post-Nick Saban era, with former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer taking over in Tuscaloosa.
As for its new-look roster, the Crimson Tide need senior quarterback Jalen Milroe — the school's primary starter last season, in which Alabama went 12-2 and reached the College Football Playoff before losing to Michigan in the semifinal round — to take the next step to be in the College Football Playoff mix next season.
On the latest edition of "The No. 1 College Football Show with RJ Young," host RJ Young chatted with sports media personality Bomani Jones about Milroe's upside, with the latter likening a roadmap for Milroe's development to a former Texas star.
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"I would say that the 2022 Jayden Daniels was a better player than the 2023 Jalen Milroe, but you can make a big offseason jump; that can happen. We've seen that happen, and I don't even know how big a jump he needs to make, as much as he kind of needs to make refinements," Jones said. "Another great example of this [is] the change between a 2004 and a 2005 Vince Young, as a passer, was pretty noticeable."
Last season, Milroe totaled 2,834 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 172.2 passer rating, while completing 65.8% of his passes. He also ran for 531 yards and two touchdowns. The year prior, he appeared in four games for the Crimson Tide, making one start in place of 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.
As for Daniels, the 23-year-old is coming off winning the 2023 Heisman Trophy with LSU after a modest 2022 debut season in Baton Rouge. Daniels is expected to be selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 pick in Thursday's 2024 NFL Draft.
Meanwhile, Young, who helped Texas win the 2005 National Championship, passed for 1,187 more yards, 14 more touchdowns and improved his passer rating by 35.5 points from 2004-05, while rushing for 1,000-plus yards and 12-plus touchdowns in both seasons. He went on to be selected by The Tennessee Titans with the No. 3 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Young concurs with Jones.
"I love Jalen. I really do, but he's got the other Jalen's [Hurts] tendencies, too. He's going to put the ball on the floor. I can't have a quarterback put the ball on the floor," Young said. "I maintain that the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs because he put the ball on the floor. Can't do that. He got that whole throwing-the-ball-to-the-other-team thing under control, but to the world and back, he beat Georgia, and you can't say he didn't do that. And then he has that dramatic come-from-behind win against Auburn."
Milroe and the Crimson Tide now play in a more loaded SEC, as No. 3 Texas and No. 12 Oklahoma join the conference next season.
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