Open Letter To Jalen Milroe
Published January 16, 2025 - 3:18 PM CST
Dear Jalen Milroe,
I remember it like it was yesterday. You burst onto the scene with some explosive plays in the spring game of 2022. We knew Bryce Young was the guy, but we were curious to see what the future held. You had some big moments that reminded us of Jalen Hurts and excited us about the future.
That 2022 season was supposed to be a special year for Alabama football, but the team underachieved badly. Maybe it was the "anxiety" that coach Saban speaks of so often that great teams with high expectations deal with. Those are first-world problems for sure, but the only explanation that makes sense when I reflect back on that season.
You finally got your first meaningful snaps when Bryce injured his shoulder at Arkansas. That was a scary moment because Bryce was the offense at that time, and he meant a lot to the team. He was the reining Heisman trophy winner, after all. In the second half, Arkansas stormed back after a slew of wild plays that you'd expect to see in an Iron Bowl. An early 28-0 lead was whittled down to 28-23, and that anxiety started to creep in as the fourth quarter started. I will never forget that 3rd and 15 play where we were backed up in our own territory and things started to look dire. On that must-have play, it was a thing of beauty watching you outrun everyone on the field for 77 yards to put the game away.
It was later determined that Bryce would miss at least one full game, giving you your first start the following week against Texas A&M. It was a rather big game because Jimbo Fisher had taken a shot at Coach Saban that offseason, and although we'll never know for sure, I'm sure the team had a chip on its shoulder. The stadium was electric that night, and we did just enough to win. We didn't play perfectly that night- I expected to put it on A&M for running their mouth, but we did enough to remain undefeated. That was the only game you got to start that season, and the team would later drop games it probably shouldn't have against Tennessee and LSU which cost them a shot at the college football playoff. (TCU, really?)
After the departure of Bryce Young and Will Anderson, it was time to turn the page to a new era. After watching the QB battle throughout the spring, I, like many, expected you to get the first crack at the job but wondered if Ty Simpson or Tyler Buckner would eventually take over. That appeared to come true after the Texas game when you were benched in favor of the other two QBs. Only you, Coach Saban, and a few others will ever know exactly how that situation went, but we'll still speculate because it's what fans do. The truth is, I was very worried after the Texas game. I thought you had a bad game, and I lost faith in you. But seeing how you handled the adversity of watching a sloppy and stressful game against a mediocre South Florida team the following week told me about who you were as a person and a competitor. I knew one thing: you would always support the team and put in the work to improve. It reminded me of Jalen Hurts when he was benched in the national championship game for Tua Tagovailoa... he was the first one to support his teammates coming off the field, and he was completely genuine about all of it. People see that. Moreover, kids see that. It says a lot about you as a person.
After the South Florida game, I was a little surprised to see that you were named the starter for the Ole Miss game the following week. I was very worried. The game started off very slow and the defense carried us for most of the game. Then, in the second half, everything seemed to click and we put the Rebels away 24-10. I think this was the turning point that the season.
The following week against Mississippi State was when you started to win me over. Ever since that game last year, it just seemed like you knew you could do anything and everything was clicking. You were like Neo in The Matrix, at times. After we blew away Tennessee and LSU, people started talking about you for the Heisman. It was quite a remarkable turnaround.
Then came the Iron Bowl. I have to point out that I think we played great in that game. With literally zero turnovers, I'll never understand how Auburn kept it close and nearly won the game but it’s what they do. The Gravedigger was one of the coolest plays I've ever seen in my life, and I loved watching the togetherness that you and the rest of the offense showed during the timeout before that play. For some reason it felt like something special was going to happen on that play.
The following week we played Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. While most people were probably anxious and hoping to win, I honestly rolled up to the Georgia Dome expecting to win. The team was playing so well, and let's face it, we own Georgia. It was time for their little run to come to an end, and you guys did just that. That game showed once again that Georgia was not Alabama, no matter how badly they imitated us.
While the Rose Bowl didn't go the way we wanted it to go, I felt like we had a strong team set to come back in 2024, and there was certainly unfinished business to handle. That all changed a few days after the season ended when Coach Saban abruptly retired on a typical Wednesday afternoon. I know it must have been a shock to you and everyone else as well. This was the inevitable day every Alabama fan had dreaded for about fifteen years. Who would be the next coach after Saban was gone? Would the incoming recruits change their mind? Would current players leave? With the advent of the transfer portal, it was extremely easy for players to leave. What would happen to all of the players that came to Alabama because of the GOAT? We were all on edge and extremely nervous as we waited to see who would be the next coach.
I’ll never forget the team meeting that Coach DeBoer had with the team the evening he was hired. After that meeting, you were one of the guys that stood out and publically affirmed your commitment to the team. Looking back, that was a pivotal moment for Alabama Football. Imagine the scene if you and several other key leaders, such as Tyler Booker, had left Alabama. There could have been a mass exodus. It sounds crazy but look how badly Florida State did this year. They went 2-10… In the ACC. It happens now in college football. With the transfer portal, anything goes. We are forever grateful for your loyalty to the University of Alabama, for keeping the team together, and for being a part of Coach DeBoer’s vision. You could have entered the portal and gotten ridiculous offers to go to another school, but you chose to stay and finish what you started.
A few days after DeBoer was hired, Caleb Downs entered the portal. My heart felt like it was being ripped out. Many pro scouts regarded him as the best overall player on the team. What was happening to this dynasty that Coach Saban built? Everyone was worried about what would happen in the month following Coach Saban’s retirement. Fortunately, that was about as bad as things would get. When the dust settled, a handful of Alabama players left the program, but many came in to replace them. It all turned out okay in the end, and I believe you are a big reason for that.
This season didn’t ultimately go the way we wanted, and we had some of the lowest lows after the Vanderbilt and Oklahoma games. Through all of this, you never wavered. You continued to smile, show humility, and make time for the fans that wanted to see you. I prefer to look back at the high points. For one, the Georgia game was the most electric I had ever seen Bryant-Denny Stadium. I enjoyed watching you and the rest of the offense go up and down the field on Georgia, making the Bulldogs behave and putting them in their place once again.
The LSU game was another game where it felt like anything was possible. Seeing you outrun their entire defense multiple times was a thing of beauty. Other than the Covid season, I can’t remember ever beating LSU that badly in Tiger Stadium. As well, you and the rest of your graduating class finished your career at Alabama undefeated in the Iron Bowl. This is a remarkable feat that hasn’t happened since 1981.
Most of all, you and your teammates were a part of a new era. You will be forever known as Coach DeBoer’s first team, and we are eternally grateful for everything you have done for Alabama Football. In an era where loyalty means less than ever, you have demonstrated time and time again that you bleed crimson.
Now, onto the next chapter. Continue to grind as you always have to improve your game. Many scouts have you going somewhere in the first round or two of the NFL draft. I think you will surprise some people when they get to meet you and watch you work in person. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and franchise quarterbacks are in high demand. It’s far too simple-minded and easy to say that an exceptionally gifted running quarterback cannot develop into a better passer at the next level. I made that mistake before with another hard-working guy of character named Jalen, and I will never make it again.
I can’t wait to see what you do at the next level. Keep working hard every day and continue to brighten the world with your smile.
Roll Tide Forever!
