Paul Finebaum calls for Alabama to go back to Jalen Milroe at quarterback

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum called for Alabama to go back to quarterback Jalen Milroe following a closer-than-expected win over USF over the weekend.

The Crimson Tide went on the road and won just 17-3 and struggled at quarterback with new starter Tyler Buchner, as well as Ty Simpson. Milroe was demoted to third string for the game against the Bulls.

But Finebaum said Alabama should go back to its original starter for the best chance to win.

“I just think the coaching staff has to figure out which direction they’re going and they certainly used the South Florida game as a laboratory experiment,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic. “I don’t know what their conclusion is. I know what mine is. I think I would go back to where they were two weeks ago and try to adjust.”

In the win over USF, Buchner was five-of-14 passing for 34 yards and Simpson was five-of-nine passing for 73 yards.

“I think certainly going with Milroe for most of the time, I’m not saying they can’t switch up a little bit less unless the coaching staff saw something in Ty Simpson that convinces them that he can hold the majority of the snaps and then maybe use Milroe in situations,” Finebaum said. 

“What I saw the other day was a complete and total embarrassment and I just have to wonder where the leadership is coming from. Not so much on the football team but within the coaching room because I just really don’t understand what the philosophy is right now under Tommy Rees.”

Should Alabama turn back to Jalen Milroe?

In the first two games, Milroe went 27-of-45 passing for 449 yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions, 92 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Following the game, Nick Saban said the plan was to evaluate all three of the quarterbacks throughout the week leading up to the SEC opener.

“We’re gonna evaluate the quarterbacks and the way they played today and evaluate Jalen Milroe in terms of how he played and decide this week, who gives us the best opportunity to be successful as an offensive team?” Saban said. “And that’s the way we’ll go.”

As for why Milroe didn’t play, Saban didn’t get into specifics, only pointing out how much practice plays in to a decision.

“I think that’s an internal team thing,” Saban said. “I think that everybody has the opportunity to respond in the right way when things don’t go exactly like you want them to. We play the guys that practice the best all week long.”