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Alabama QB Jalen Milroe ahead of Michigan game: 'I hope teams spy me'

clayton-sayfieby: Clayton Sayfie12/28/23CSayf23
Jalen Milroe
(Photo by Clayton Sayfie / TheWolverine.com)

LOS ANGELES — Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has seen all sorts of different strategies from opposing defenses throughout his first season as a starter.

Georgia, for example, had two spies mirroring him on some plays in the SEC championship game. Others have used one spy. Some have blitzed. No matter what, defensive lines have to be disciplined in staying in rush lanes while also trying to apply pressure.

Easier said than done. All of the techniques opponents have implemented sound great in theory and don’t look as pretty once it’s time to face Milroe. More times than not, the 6-2, 220-pounder — who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting — has still been able to make plays.

Milroe has rushed for 693 non-sack rush yards, averaging 3.4 first-down pickups per game with his legs. The Crimson Tide use him in the designed run game but he’s dangerous on scrambles, too, both gaining positive yardage with his feet and throwing down field.

TheWolverine.com asked Milroe Thursday morning how he attacks team that use a quarterback spy against him.

“I hope teams spy me so I can throw the ball,” Milroe said. “That’s my job is being a point guard with the football and getting it to our playmakers. That’s something that teams want to do to stop me with my legs, but I came here to throw the ball, so I’m OK with that.”

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Milroe averages 3.5 seconds per dropback, the second-highest mark in the country, and that has a lot to do with his mobility in extending plays. He’s completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 2,718 yards and 23 touchdowns with 6 interceptions. Thirty four of his completions have come on passes of 20-plus air yards.

The Alabama signal-caller is well aware of the type of defense he’s set to face. Michigan leads the nation by allowing just 9.5 points per game.

“Really good group,” Milroe said of the Wolverines. “They have a veteran core in the box that [has] played a lot of football together. You can tell watching the tape how physical they are. They do a lot of stunts and twists up front, and so that’s something we have to prepare for to be effective in this game. They’re going to throw a lot at the quarterback.

“There’s a reason why they’re undefeated. There’s a reason why they’re statistically ranked in a high regard of what they do. It’s evident when you watch the tape. It’s a hard task for us, and so we have to prepare the right way, because they have a good group at Michigan.”

Alabama tackles preparing to face deep Michigan defensive line

Michigan rotates nearly 10 players in along the defensive line, including four at EDGE in seniors Jaylen Harrell and Braiden McGregor, junior Josaiah Stewart and sophomore Derrick Moore.

Alabama right tackle JC Latham said Thursday that the Tide has seen multiple teams that bring in different waves of edge rushers, pointing to Texas A&M and Tennessee.

“We’ve seen a lot of different looks that might catch us off guard” Latham said. “We’ve just gotta be prepared for it.”

It comes down to film study and having a good scouting report, Latham continued, and Alabama has gone through that process in the days leading up to the Rose Bowl.

“You just gotta watch film, understand who you’re going against,” Latham said. “Just make sure that you really know what’s going on in situational downs. If they’ve got a guy who comes in on specific downs and does the same thing, you gotta know that and you gotta prepare for that. So, that’s why watching film plays a big part. Some guys can just go out there and do it, but the game slows down and it makes it a lot easier when you know what’s gonna happen.”

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