Kalen DeBoer’s captain, Jalen Milroe, needs no introduction. He is best in his own way, and this season also brought his weak side in front of his fans. So far, he has thrown six interceptions. At the start of the season, it didn’t look like we’d be talking about Milroe’s interceptions at any point. However, the topsy-turvy nature of his performances has meant that we are forced to have a closer look at his game or the lack of growth in it. On October 26th, before heading into the bye-week, Alabama dominated Missouri, produced a shutout on defense and left the visitors with 34-0.

Milroe, who was in the headlines for his poor performance, had no other option but to deliver. He did just that, but whether he will maintain the momentum is the next big question. Blake Ruffino, an LSU insider, was brutally honest in his latest video shared by AYS Sports on their Instagram account. He addressed the challenges Tide is facing when it comes to converting the 3rd downs.

“Alabama’s vast struggle is going third down, 66th in the country in third-down conversion rate. And not only that, guys, they’re dead last in the country. when you when it’s third and six plus. What worries me is that, now that he’s a little bit healthier, meaning Milroe, is he going to take off? Is he going to run? Is he going to try to establish and get first downs again? That would be out of the norm.” 

Like Blake, many other experts and insiders questioned Milroe’s performance this season. So far, the Tide have registered two losses, the second against Tennessee. And DeBoer’s boy had a tough day. He completed only 25 out of 45 passes. Quite disappointing, right? We know you and DeBoer both expect a lot from him. But he threw two interceptions, so guess what? He was sacked not once but three times. Coming to his running game, which is usually his USP, he only manages 11 yards on 14 carries.

Moreover, when it comes to third-down conversions, it won’t be wrong to put it squarely on the QB. Of course, he is the leader of the pack and must share responsibility. But any Bama fan would tell you that penalties have been a major reason why the Tide often end up with third and long, and that’s never an easy ask for a QB. You can say that Milroe has, at times, thrown it long or short while trying to get through a third and long. It all comes down to discipline, and while the Bama faithful would want to see a better outing from their dual-threat star, a little discipline in the O-line would not be a bad idea altogether.

DeBoer and his staff had enough time to reflect on the things that went wrong and prepare for their next matchup against LSU. Nick Sheridan and Kalen DeBoer would have their task cut out as the LSU DC would have prepared a plan to get to Milroe, but hey, even they are coming off a bye week. DeBoer would have had a lot of time to go through the LSU schemes. Ultimately, whoever implements their strategies better will win. 

Kalen DeBoer on Jalen Milroe: He is a phenomenal athlete

It took three games for Milroe to turn the tables. When Tide was struggling with a 1-2 record, Milroe only had three touchdowns in his name while he already made five interceptions. He has averaged just 15.6 rushing yards per game during the initial weeks. Will it change as the season heats up? Everyone is speaking about his inability to connect on deep passes.

Heead Caoch is still going to back his captain. Last Friday, he appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter and expressed his faith in his QB. “We just gotta get back to when he’s at his best and not try to do too much, not try to get outside of what he’s capable of,” DeBoer added. “He’s a phenomenal athlete, player, and person. Just really do what he does best; understand what makes him different from other quarterbacks around the country.”

Like DeBoer, we love Milroe, and we are sure they want him to continue the momentum he has gained against Missouri. But will he live up to DeBoer’s expectations?