Nick Saban praises Jalen Milroe's growth, improved focus this season

Jalen Milroe is becoming a massive weapon at quarterback for an improving Alabama offense, and during his appearance on the Pat McAfee Show this week, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban explained what’s clicked for the the first-year starter.

Saban joined the show on Thursday afternoon, as he’s done each week this season, where McAfee asked him right off the bat about his team’s great performance against LSU last weekend. Specifically, he wanted to know about Jalen Milroe’s continued growth after a monster day on the ground.

For that, Nick Saban credits better focus on each individual play.

“Well, I think that what we’re trying to do with Jalen, where he’s really improved is having a singular focus on the next play. And I consistently talk about, you know, focus on the next play. The next play might be the one that makes the difference in the game. So don’t worry what happened on the last play.”

While Milroe was known as a dangerous dual-threat QB, he actually hadn’t ran the ball well in the weeks prior to the LSU matchup. In those three previous games combined vs. Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas A&M, including sack yardage, Milroe finished with -47 yards on the ground. Then, vs. LSU, he rebounded for 155 net rushing yards and four touchdowns en route to a win that just about locks up the SEC West.

When on with McAfee, Saban was asked what went into the game plan to have Milroe utilized so heavily as a runner this week. The Alabama coach said that the offense likes to take what a defense gives them. Apparently, the QB run was open all day.

“You know, we want to take what the defense gives. So, in certain cases, his running ability is going to be a factor for us and we want to utilize that as best we can” said Saban. “In other cases, the skill guys and the arm talent that he has is something that we can take advantage of. So it’s kind of a combination of both, you know, moving forward.”

Conversely, in that three-game span leading up to the LSU game, while not as strong on the ground, Jalen Milroe did put together some of his best passing performances. He crossed 300 yards for the only time this season with 321 and three touchdowns in the win over Texas A&M, then tossed for 220+ yards and two more scores in each of the other two wins.

He’s clearly shown an ability to lead Alabama to victory with either his arm or his legs.