Jalen Milroe is going to flourish under Kalen DeBoer in 2024
![Jan 1, 2024; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) looks to pass in the second quarter against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Jan 1, 2024; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) looks to pass in the second quarter against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3188,h_1793,x_0,y_80/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/194/01hz7rkptw57jdnj0fav.jpg)
When Jalen Milroe considered transferring from Alabama football, it felt like the Tide were going to take a massive hit. Finding a new dual-threat quarterback to lead the offense would not be an easy task but then Milroe decided to return to the Tide and Kalen DeBoer had to be thrilled.
DeBoer is one of the top "quarterback whisperers" in college football and a big reason that Michael Penix Jr. excelled at Indiana before struggling when he left and then joining him at Washington.
When DeBoer took over at Washington, Penix was his go-to passer and he flourished, passing for over 9,500 yards and 67 touchdowns over the past two seasons, getting selected No. 8 in the NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
While I don't think that Milroe will be quite as prolific of a passer as Penix, he's going to have a similar trajectory under center, going from solid to top-tier college football passer. In his first year as a starter with the Tide, he passed for 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions while completing 66 percent of his passes. He was also an elite runner.
Under DeBoer, I'm expecting a massive jump. He'll surpass the 3,000-yard mark through the air and he could finish with 30-plus touchdowns while possessing the ability to run for over 500 yards.
Alabama's offense is going to take a huge step in the right direction under DeBoer and it'll be due to the growth of Milroe under center. The Heisman Ceremony will be calling his name in December.