Alabama QB Jalen Milroe Praises New Coaches, Indirectly Throwing Shade At Tommy Rees, Nick Saban

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Jalen Milroe didn't come right out and say anything bad about former Alabama offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees and former head coach Nick Saban.

But if you listened closely and measured his words, it was clear. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe's praise of new head coach Kalen DeBoer, who has the best offensive mind at Alabama since Lane Kiffin, and new offensive coordinator/QBs coach Nick Sheridan doubled as daggers to his former coaches Saturday after the spring game.

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"The coaching staff is really confident in me," he said. 

Was he saying the former coaches were NOT very confident in him? It's not a reach at all to say yes to that. And justifiably so to a degree.

Alabama's Jalen Milroe threw for 2,834 yards and rushed for 877 last season, but lost 346 yards as one of the most sacked QBs in the nation at 44. (Getty Images)

"And that pushes me even more, because I have a coaching staff that's all for me and that's pushing me to be great," Milroe continued.

Not all on the coaching staff last year was "all for" Milroe all the time. Rees, you see, got to bring in quarterback Tyler Buchner from Notre Dame, where Rees had coached him in the 2021 and '22 seasons. It is not a reach to say that Rees thought Buchner could start for the Tide, though he came in as the No. 31-ranked quarterback in the NCAA Transfer Portal by 247 Sports last year. Buchner, now playing lacrosse back at Notre Dame, is the poster child for what the NCAA Transfer Portal should often be called, based on most examples. And that would be the NCAA Backup Portal.

Jalen Milroe Avoided The NCAA Backup Portal

Of course, had Milroe entered the Transfer Portal - the worst idea in college football history because of a no sit-out rule that saw its latest window open Tuesday - it would have been the Backup Portal. He was a backup through 2021 and '22 behind Bryce Young.  

But Milroe stuck with it, which is among the greatest lessons of athletics and what the portal damages. He stuck despite a somewhat lack of confidence in him that he noticed from Rees and from Saban early on, which was understandable. Milroe did not have it in the 34-24 loss to Texas in game two on Sept. 9 as he threw two interceptions that led to 10 points. His second one was critical as it set the Longhorns up at Alabama's 5-yard line early in the fourth quarter. They took a 27-16 lead that basically ended the game. 

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban with quarterback Jalen Milroe last season. (Getty Images). 

Milroe, who was sacked five times in that game, pouted after the Texas loss when he learned Saban and Rees had planned to play backup Ty Simpson and Buchner in the "exhibition" game the next week at South Florida. Then they decided to not play Milroe at all. That nearly backfired as Alabama was still tied 3-3 late in the third quarter as Simpson and Buchner played like backups before the Tide finally won 17-3.

Jalen Milroe Still No. 1 At Alabama

Now, Saban and Rees had no choice and did a good job with Milroe as the season progressed. He went on to grow and improve. By season's end, Milroe was No. 5 in the nation in quarterback efficiency on 187-of-284 passing for 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns with only four more picks post Texas. 

Still, though, some of last year still smarts.

"They instill confidence in me," Milroe said of DeBoer and Sheridan and co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers JaMarcus Shephard. "They are so passionate and so confident in me."

All three had a role in the construction of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at Washington. Just a lowly three-star prospect out of high school, Penix ended his career with the Huskies No. 1 in the nation in passing yards per game last season at 326.9 and overall passing yards at 4,903 with 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to LSU's Jayden Daniels last year and is expected to be picked in the upper half of the first round in the NFL Draft on April 25.

Jalen Milroe Better Now Than Michael Penix Jr. Was 2 Years Ago

Milroe is much more accomplished entering his junior year than Penix was after leaving Indiana for Washington before the 2022 season. And he runs much better than Penix. Considering what DeBoer and company did with Penix, the near future bodes well for Milroe. 

New Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer had QB Jalen Milroe take a wide majority of snaps with the first team during spring drills. (Getty Images)

"He's got that dual skill set. And now that we have enough things installed where he can utilize all that, you can see the play calling working around what he brings to the table," DeBoer said. " He's tough to handle. He's just so extremely fast. You think you have him bottled up, and he just runs right around you. He gets more comfortable with the offense every day, especially in the pass game."

Milroe feels the love - obviously more so than last year at this time. One reason is he is better. His first pass of the spring game last year was an interception. In his first nine plays Saturday, he led two 75-yard touchdown drives and completed two deep balls to Washington transfer receiver Germie Bernard. 

"Each and every day when I speak to them, they speak light into me," Milroe said of his coaches. "That's big. When you have a coach who speaks this positive reinforcement into you, that makes you want to play better, play even harder."

And not pout.

"It's been special to have him here because of who he is as a person," Milroe said of DeBoer, who is kinder and gentler than the often severe Saban was. "You want to play for a coach like this - how personal he is with us. He has power and reinforcement behind the criticism."

And Milroe can't stop thinking about how Penix developed.

"I'm starving to learn," he said. "I'm super excited to play under coach DeBoer because he's offensive minded."

Saban hired excellent offensive coaches for the most part, but he was always more defensive minded.

"So, that's special for me to have a coach that's offensive minded," Milroe said.

And at the moment, Milroe has some room to mess up. There is no one behind him posing a serious threat yet. And one or two of those may be in the Backup Portal soon.

(Were Jalen Milroe's comments veiled shots at Nick Saban and Tommy Rees? You decide, and let me know at glenn.guilbeau@outkick.com or @SportBeatTweet.)