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Jalen Milroe at A-Day Displays Indications of Success in the New Alabama Offense………………………..
In Alabama’s spring finale, the 2023 Heisman Trophy runner-up shown big play potential under new head coach Kalen DeBoer.
This past Saturday was the Alabama Crimson Tide’s traditional A-Day spring football finale, which provided fans with their first look at new head coach Kalen DeBoer’s system. DeBoer’s downfield vertical passing tactics mixed with returning starting quarterback Jalen Milroe’s ability to toss the ball deep has the Crimson Tide faithful daydreaming of another trip to the College Football Playoff.
What was Milroe’s performance like in front of the Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd? He led two scoring drives and completed three of his nine passes for a yard. Milroe did well for a spring game in a new offense, but the threat his legs might provide in a live game this fall was negated by the black non-contact jersey.
On A-Day 2024, how did Jalen Milroe run the Alabama offense?
Opening the spring scrimmage, Milroe seemed to be reading Quandarius Robinson’s movement off the edge to determine whether to give or pull the ball. When Robinson falters, Milroe correctly passes the ball to Jam Miller, who makes a large gain to initiate the drive.
On the second play of the series, Milroe escapes with one as it looks like Tim Smith and Jah-Marien Latham are going to tap him in the backfield for a sack, but he gains eight yards by avoiding the pressure from the blitz off the edge.
Milroe connects with Germie Bernard for his first significant reception of the day following a brief handoff for a first down. Inside a well-constructed pocket, the Crimson Tide signal caller maintains composure before giving Bernard a pump fake and letting it fly with assurance. Would a better pass have led to a score instead? Yes, but finding Bernard for a forty-yard strike at this point in their relationship is a positive indication. The drive ended with a touchdown thanks to a straightforward handoff to Justice Haynes from five yards out.
Drive 2: 75 yards, 4 plays, touchdown
With the help of a facemask penalty, the Crimson Tide’s third drive of the A-Day began with a quick sweep to the left to Justice Haynes.
When Milroe found Bernard for the second time that day, it was possibly the play of the scrimmage. This time, Bernard was caught off guard by Milroe, who added 34 more yards to his strike total of 52 yards, allowing him to demonstrate his running prowess. The seasoned quarterback spots Bernard outmuscling Zabien Brown in man coverage with ease, and he places the ball in the ideal spot to create a big play with outstanding processing and ball placement. Jam Miller scored another touchdown to cap off the drive with a two-yard gain.
Drive 3: 1 yard – punt after 3 plays
The offense is pushed behind the chains after a handoff to Jam Miller on the right only gains one yard. On second down, the defense rushes five, clogging Milroe’s passing channel even if the offensive line prevents him from being sacked from behind. The QB bursts down the field, but he is unable to complete the throw to Kendrick Law. The defense launches a blitz on third down, moving Milroe before he reaches the top of the drop. He maintains his gaze downfield, but nothing materializes, and in the end, Milroe discards it for his first unsuccessful drive of the day.
Drive 4: 1 yard – punt after 3 plays
Once more, Tim Smith started the drive behind the chains by beating Tyler Booker off the line of scrimmage and tackling Richard Young for a one-yard gain on first down. Milroe quickly reads the situation on second down and throws to Young in the flat. Young dropped the pass after Deontae Lawson made contact in coverage, even though he could have gained three or four yards on the reception. Would Milroe be able to find Kendrick Law moving from one side of the field to the other for a more profitable play if he had more patience? Jaren Hamilton fails to haul in what would have been a first down, resulting in another down on the third down.
With only three rushes and covering, the defense gave Milroe little choice but to jam it into a small window. Although his pass could have been more accurate, it was placed in a way that allowed his receiver to make the grab and get a first down.
Drive 5: 1 yard – punt after 3 plays
With Milroe in control of the scrimmage, Alabama started with a first-down pass for the first time. With a six-man protection, the defense for some reason manages to obtain a free rusher off the edge, giving Milroe limited time to react. As a result, Richard Young received an absurdly large check, which he immediately returned when Domani Jackson called him. Three plays on first down, three drives squandered.
The offense made a mistake by leaving Justin Jefferson unblocked since Young was tackled in the backfield, setting up third and eleven. On third down, Wilkin Formby and Roq Montgomery are unable to stop Jah-Marien Latham, forcing Milroe to come out of the pocket and be tackled for no gain. The offensive line is having a bad series because they have lost three straight plays.
Drive 6: 6 yards, 3 plays, punt
Another Milroe series gets underway behind schedule due to a false start in Montgomery. On first and long, the quarterback hangs in the pocket and attempts a ball to Emmanuel Henderson, but the pass is dropped because it is too high. Third and long sets up Milroe for his last snap of the spring after second and long is a sweep to Jam Miller for only a yard.
Josh Cuevas receives a 10-yard completion from Milroe to cap off spring ball. He located the Washington transfer in front of the zone defense, so it’s a nice way to finish even though there isn’t much ground to cover.
Four of Milroe’s passes were mishandled, and he began his final four possessions with detrimental downs and distances. On Saturday, he demonstrated a firm grasp of the new offense and a developing rapport with Washington transfer Germie Bernard.