Where is Jalen Milroe from? Exploring the Alabama QB's background

Emerging from humble beginnings, American Football Quarterback Jalen Milroe currently shines with the Alabama Crimson Tide under head coach Nick Saban. Originally committed to Texas, he made a pivotal switch to Alabama.

His sophomore year, marked by a backup role behind Bryce Young, saw a change when Young's injury put him in the spotlight during a crucial game against Arkansas in the 2021 season. Milroe orchestrated a remarkable 49-26 victory, etching his name in Crimson Tide lore.

Milroe is a devout Christian who embraced his faith with a baptism in 2022. Hailing from Katy, Texas, he sharpened his football prowess at Tompkins High School. As a junior, he delivered impressive stats with 2,689 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 8 rushing yards, and 53 total touchdowns, securing over 30 victories.

The No. 4 dual-quarterback, Milroe also holds the 13th position among Texas players. In the 2023 season, following Young's departure, Milroe earned the coveted starting QB position after fierce competition with Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner. However, his starting role temporarily wavered after the Texas showdown when Buchner grabbed the opportunity to replace him.

Why was Jalen Milroe benched?

Jalen Milroe to start for Alabama in Week 4

The decision to bench Milroe arose following a disappointing 34-24 loss to the Texas Longhorns, but it turned into a debacle of its own. The substitution with Buchner did not yield the desired results, leading to the insertion of redshirt Simpson.

The pressure to secure a spot in the upcoming SEC Football playoffs loomed large, prompting the switch. Unfortunately, Buchner struggled, managing only a 51.9 % completion rate, adding to the team's challenges as they pursue their playoff aspirations.

Saban described the action of replacing Milroe as an "internal team thing." Brett McMurphy has however reported that Saban confirmed Milroe as Alabama's starting QB against Ole Miss, despite his absence in the previous match against South Florida.

Although the expectations were high, Buchner didn’t put his best foot forward. This was the worst victory for the Alabama Crimson Tide, as the team was sacked five times, twice on third downs. Milroe had a strong start to the season compared to his replacements, with 449 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions in the first two games.

Nick Saban on the Alabama QB battle

Buchner was benched after a performance of 5-for-14 and then replaced by Simpson. Simpson just ended the game somehow, going 5-for-9 with 73 yards. The offense is demanding the performance of Milroe. Here is what Saban said on Monday, according to Paul Finebaum:

"From a quarterback standpoint, this is all I'm gonna say about this: Jalen really showed the leadership that I was looking for during the [USF] game in terms of supporting his teammates and doing the things he needed to do."

Nick added,

"He's had the opportunity to play; so have the other guys. Jalen played the best of all those guys, and so I think he's earned the opportunity to be the quarterback."

What seems like a 17-3 victory is a loss against South Florida. South Florida lost to Western Kentucky to open the season and had a record of 4–29 in the previous three seasons. No doubt, the Alabama Crimson Tide need to sort out the QB situation given their endangered position in the SEC playoffs.