Changing a championship-winning head coach may be essentially the most troublesome job within the career.
Tasked with changing a coach extensively thought of to be the best to ever trod the sidelines in Nick Saban, Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer may be going through essentially the most troublesome job in school soccer historical past.
Disproving any doubt about DeBoer’s skill to thrive in such a high-pressure atmosphere depends on the coach’s new quarterback, Jalen Milroe, and the motto Milroe has championed for the Crimson Tide: Let All Naysayers Know.
DeBoer’s transient however profitable tenure at Washington earned him the Alabama job in January.
His skill to carry out the very best in quarterbacks remodeled Michael Penix Jr., as soon as written off as a result of accidents, right into a Heisman Trophy finalist and top-10 NFL draft decide.
Earlier than reuniting with Penix at Washington, having beforehand labored as Penix’s quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Indiana, DeBoer and his employees oversaw the profession resurgence of Jake Haener. Haener handed for 33 touchdowns and virtually 4,100 yards on DeBoer’s 10-win Fresno State workforce in 2021.
Glimpses of one other potential quarterback success story underneath DeBoer’s tutelage highlighted the coach’s Alabama debut. Milroe wanted solely seven completions to rack up 200 yards passing within the Crimson Tide’s 63-0 Week 1 blowout of Western Kentucky.
An 86-yard reference to Ryan Williams capped a primary quarter wherein Milroe additionally ran for a 12-yard landing. It was a formidable bounceback from a shaky opening drive, throughout which Milroe took a sack and fumbled.
“He threw it lower than 10 occasions; not an enormous pattern dimension there. However when he did have these alternatives, he took off.” DeBoer mentioned of Milroe’s efficiency, touting what he known as “undervalued” traits from the quarterback. “I beloved the landing cross to [Kendrick] Legislation the place he stepped up, was decisive, had his eyes downfield.”
Milroe completed the day with three passing touchdowns and two dashing, tying him for fourth-most ever in a single sport at Alabama. The Hilltoppers couldn’t put up the resistance; any variety of SEC defenses will present Milroe.
Nonetheless, the quarterback took an necessary first step towards following instantly the place Penix left off at Washington as a Heisman contender.
“It was superior,” Milroe mentioned after Saturday’s win, talking of constructing his relationship with DeBoer within the offseason. “What made it superior is that each one the work that was finished at midnight is popping out to shine right this moment. And I’m tremendous excited for our offense, tremendous excited for our soccer workforce, as a result of we’ve had a lot development that I’ve seen.”
Milroe’s description of working at midnight with outcomes coming into the sunshine appears an apt, if unintentional metaphor for the quarterback toiling within the shadows of the numerous champions, All-American and Heisman candidates at Alabama who performed the place for him.
His successor, Bryce Younger, grew to become the Crimson Tide’s first quarterback ever to win the Heisman in 2021. Younger’s run to the game’s high particular person honor supplied a crescendo for ever-improving quarterback play at Alabama within the Saban years.
The lofty normal Milroe pursues mirrors that of his coach. On this regard, they’re a perfect pair for this pivotal second in Alabama soccer historical past.