You don’t get the “next Nick Saban” title handed over to you if you don’t have the same skills. Back in Washington State, Kalen DeBoer proved that he could make a player a damn good Heisman winner. With the way DeBoer connects with his players and molds the team into an offensive powerhouse, he was always the right choice after Nick Saban retired. Now, in 2024, we all might see DeBoer making Jalen Milroe the next big thing in the SEC. Well, Emory Hunt from FBallGameplan agrees with this idea.

In a clip posted to X by Ross Tucker Podcast on July 30th, we see Hunt explain why he thinks Milroe would be the best QB prospect in the SEC. “I think Jalen Milroe is the best QB Prospect. The tremendous athleticism, the upside, the growth he showed last year,” Hunt recalled. It is true that under Nick Saban, Milroe was phenomenal last season. However, now that DeBoer has the reins, things are gonna switch up real fast. “with Kalen DeBoer working with him, like what he did with Michael Penix, you want to see even more growth this season,” Hunt added. Back on July 4th, Milroe made it very clear that he would much rather prefer working with DeBoer. Why you ask? Well, Milroe explained it perfectly. “You know he’s an offensive mind, so I’m able to grow each and every day with him,” he said during his interview with Adam Breneman. While Milroe still has to work on time to throw, as pointed out by First Round Mock, there have been major changes ever since he went under DeBoer.

Back under Saban during the 2023 season, Milroe had a 55% pass completion rate. This has seen a drastic improvement and shifted to 70% under DeBoer. DeBoer has always focused on quick reads and practice dynamic play calls, which has allowed Milroe to effectively use his speed and improve his passing skills. Hell, even Paul Finebaum has agreed on the fact that under DeBoer, Milroe can become a Heisman finalist. “He has enough ability to be Heisman Finalist and lead Alabama to the playoff,” Finebaum had mentioned on Get Up by ESPN. However, both DeBoer and Milroe better be ready cause on the other end of the line, someone will be waiting for them.

The Bulldogs

While Emory Hunt did say that he “thought he outplayed Carson Beck” doesn’t take the Bulldogs lightly. Carson Beck has been making waves. The perfect explanation was presented by NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah through his scouting report. “I saw him consistently utilize anticipation, velocity, and ball placement to fit the ball between a triangle of defenders,” Jeremiah had mentioned. Beck is a master when it comes down to playing from the pocket. Even back in 2023, he led Georgia to a 13-1 season, losing only to Saban’s Crimson Tide.

Projected to be a top QB from his class, Beck brings in solid competition for Milroe. What makes this rivalry even more legendary is that this would be the first time when two coaches would fight over who wins the “Next Nick Saban” title. While Kirby Smart has all the faith in Beck, DeBoer is out there prepping Milroe to become another success story. Only time will tell who finally wins.