When a football team stumbles, it’s almost always the quarterback who feels the heat—and right now, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe has been catching fire from all directions. After the Crimson Tide’s crushing loss to Tennessee (24-17) on Saturday, fans have accused him of intentionally targeting 17-year-old Ryan Williams repeatedly… force-feeding him the ball 18 times, to be precise, versus targeting the next closest receiver — Kendrick Law and Germie Bernard — just five times!

Milroe has been unable to find his form ever since he dismantled the Georgia Bulldogs (Sept 28), where he completed 27 of 33 passes (81.8%) for two touchdowns and one interception (which wasn’t even his fault) with a 98.8 passer rating. Just listen to what Milroe had to say about Williams after winning over the Bulldogs: “That man’s always making a play on the ball. I just have so much trust in him. When he’s out at receiver, he’s going to do something special with the football.”

Make no mistake, readers, the 17-year-old freshman didn’t look a tad dull since. It is Milroe’s regressive passing game that has become the apple of discord. From what looked like a good case as a Heisman Trophy contender, he has thrown multiple inaccurate or uncatchable throws and a total of five interceptions in the last three games vs just 1 in the first four games. At Neyland Stadium, on five attempts, Milroe couldn’t complete a pass at least 20 yards and was 6-for-17 on passes 10 or more yards with no touchdowns and one interception downfield, per PFF. Clearly, he is not seeing the field well.

Amid the sea of criticism, WR Germie Bernard stepped up in support of Milroe after Tuesday’s practice. “We always have J-Mil’s back,” Bernard said. “Whether the ball is in our vicinity, we have to be better at making those plays when those opportunities come our way.”

Alabama insider Mike Rodak too shared Bernard’s rallying words: “Don’t listen to any of the doubters—like he says, the naysayers. I always tell him, I’ve got your back no matter what anybody else says. I keep reminding him so he doesn’t get down on himself.” Bernard’s words show a locker room still pulling for Milroe, even as the heat cranks up outside.

It’s easy to pile on a quarterback when things go south, and fans have been quick to point out Milroe’s multiple interceptions this season, accusing him of shaking under the pressure. The Tennessee game only added fuel to the fire—fans are saying Milroe’s decision to lean so heavily on Williams seemed desperate at times like he was struggling to find any confidence in his own game.

Not just teammate, offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan shares the spotlight in the blame game

Analysts across media platforms have left their verdict stating Milroe’s confidence has hit an all-time row after back-to-back multiple interceptions. However, Alabama’s offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan doesn’t doubt his QB1’s confidence a tad! He said,

“I think none of us coached or played well enough in the game Saturday, and that starts with me,” Sheridan said. “Our ability to execute consistently and take advantage of the opportunities that were presented, we obviously fell short in those spots.

“It’s all of us. We’re all involved in that. Jalen’s an extremely confident player. I have no concerns in that at all. His preparation creates that confidence for him, and he’ll get back to work this week just like the rest of our players will.”

In fact, TE CJ Dippre, whose inability to catch hold of the ball led to Milroe’s only interception at Alabama’s dominating win over the Bulldogs, echoed Bernard’s unblemished confidence in his QB, “We’ve always had each other’s back,” Dippre said about Milroe. “Why wouldn’t we have each other’s back now? I don’t think anything’s changed from week in and week out. It’s just about going 1-0 and worrying about Missouri this week.”

The next game against Missouri is just over three days away. Milroe will have the home advantage, for sure. And guess what, it is already a sold-out game. Hopefully, Milroe turns his game around as fans rally at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.