What a wild and strange season it has been for Alabama quarterback [autotag]Jalen Milroe[/autotag]. The redshirt sophomore from Texas began the season as the Crimson Tide’s starting signal caller but after a lackluster performance in Week 2 against Texas, he was benched. Nick Saban decided to sit Milroe for the Tide’s Week 3 game against South Florida in what Coach Saban referred to as an “experiment”.
I don’t need to remind you how poorly the South Florida game went for the Tide. The Alabama offense struggled to find any consistency with either Tyler Buchner or Ty Simpson as the quarterback as Alabama escaped Tampa with a 17-3 win over the Bulls.
Milroe was quickly reinserted as the starting quarterback the next week against Ole Miss and well, as they say, the rest is history.
On Thursday during the offensive media day ahead of the Rose Bowl matchup against Michigan, Milroe was asked how he approached being benched. His response tells you all you need to know about the character of Milroe.
God makes no mistakes. Biggest thing for me is follow through with God’s plan and lean on him, not on my own understanding. That is something that I truly took to heart, and I have a great support system around me that will lift me through anything.
During that situation it was big for me to lean on my Lord and Savior and also my family, and that was something that got me through that situation.
But also I took it as a learning moment, looked in the mirror, figured out some things I need to improve on. At the end of the day it’s all about being the right teammate, being the best teammate I can be.
I lean on the family acronym Forget About Me, I Love You. That was critical when I went into that week. No matter who was in, I prepared the same way, but at the end of the day, when it was an opportunity for someone else to play, I was just trying to be the best teammate I can be.
Milroe’s faith and focus allowed him to handle a tough situation with grace and humility and that mindset is what has led him into becoming one of the nation’s best players.
Whether Milroe can lead the Tide to another national championship remains to be seen, but regardless of the end result, the young QB has captivated a fan base with not only his play but his character and that infectious smile.
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