In the transfer portal era, no one would have batted an eye if Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe decided to leave.
After all, Milroe was criticized by some Alabama fans for his inconsistent play, and the program lost the greatest coach in college football history when Nick Saban retired. Several of Milroe's teammates, including wide receiver Isaiah Bond and electric freshman safety Caleb Downs, decided to transfer.
Milroe was asked about this decision to stay with the Crimson Tide during a radio interview at SEC Media Days. His answer gave some insight into where his head is at heading into 2024.
"It was about trusting the process."@AlabamaFTBL QB @JalenMilroe details how a motto of his old coach helped him decide to stick around for a new one.@KrisBudden | @DustyDvoracek | @FozzyWhitt | #SECMD24 | #RollTide pic.twitter.com/YK0hSRcFEe
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) July 18, 2024
"All about trusting the process,” Milroe shared. "Coach Saban talks about trusting the process all the time...And when it came to this offseason about trusting the process and stacking good days and good days, that’s what got me to ultimately stay put and trust the process and not just waver from things that I can’t control."
Milroe also cited his long-term goals of winning conference and national titles, along with getting his degree, as reasons for staying at Alabama.
It's a mature answer from a quarterback who showed a lot of growth in his first year as a full-time starter. Despite early-season struggles, Milroe finished the season with second-team All-SEC honors after throwing for 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while adding another 531 yards and 12 scores on the ground.
With head coach Kalen DeBoer now running the program, things could look a bit different offensively for Milroe and the Crimson Tide. However, given DeBoer's experience with dual-threat quarterbacks, it could end up being a move that helps take Milroe's game to the next level in 2024.
