Alabama
What did Hugh Freeze and Auburn’s players say about defending Alabama QB Jalen Milroe?
Auburn’s defense hasn’t faired great against dual threat quarterbacks this season.
New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia gave Auburn a headache last Saturday as he and the Aggies upset the Tigers 31-10 in a stunning loss.
Pavia passed for 201 yards on a 19-for-28 passing performance, which featured three touchdown passes.
On the ground, Pavia added 35 yards on eight carries, but constantly kept the Tigers’ defense on its toes as Pavia was able to extend a number of other plays with his legs.
Weeks prior, the Tigers’ defense struggled against LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
And Auburn knows the task only gets taller this week as it prepares for another dual threat quarterback in Alabama’s Jalen Milroe.
“Jalen Milroe is an extremely good quarterback, man,” said Auburn linebacker Eugen Asante. “I’ve been watching those games throughout the season. I think I got to catch the LSU game and he was dominant. Somebody that can kill you with his feet and with his arm.”
Milroe has started in 10 of Alabama’s 11 games this season, only missing the Crimson Tide’s matchup against USF on Sept. 16, when Alabama head coach Nick Saban gave the starting nod to Ty Simpson as he still tried to pin down Alabama’s indefinite starter.
Ahead of Alabama’s SEC opener against Ole Miss, Saban tossed the keys to his offense to Milroe, who has been in command ever since.
On the season, Milroe has passed for more than 2,260 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. All while completing his passes at a 66.3% clip.
With his legs, Milroe has added more than 570 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“We have to have rush integrity. We have to corral him more (in the) pocket. Crush the pocket. Not giving him escape lanes,” Asante said. “In terms of myself, when I’m in coverage or if I’m on him, making sure I get to him. Close the space, because certainly he’s somebody that’s dynamic with his legs.”
As of late, Milroe has been on a tear.
Dating back to Alabama’s matchup against LSU, Milroe has been responsible for 13 touchdowns – six through the air and seven with his legs – in his last three games.
In those same performances, Milroe has tallied 650 passing yards while completing 70% of his passes and has rushed for 190 yards.
And to be frank, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze knows Alabama’s sophomore quarterback is bound to give the Tigers’ defense trouble.
“You know, we did not fare well against a kid similar to him down in LSU,” Freeze said Monday, comparing Milroe to LSU’s Daniels.
Against Auburn, Daniels passed for 325 yards and three touchdowns, all while tacking on another 97 yards with his legs during LSU’s dominant, 48-18 win.
“And now (Milroe) is playing at a very high level with good receivers and good running backs. It’s a very difficult task for sure. I don’t know that you completely do that,” Freeze said when asked about stopping Milroe. “You gotta hope that you do limit those explosive plays somewhat, but stopping him? No one’s really done that.”
When looking at the challenge top to bottom, a certain number sticks out to the Auburn defense: 33.
Milroe has been sacked 33 times this season with Texas, Texas A&M and Arkansas all getting Milroe to the turf at least five times.
“We gotta contain him, because the past few games he’s been having some great numbers,” said Auburn Jack linebacker Jalen McLeod. “We gotta make sure we neutralize him early and make sure we get after the O-Line because he’s been sacked a lot this whole season.”
Meanwhile, Milroe himself is growing to be a lot more confident in his offensive line.
“We constantly have a growing offense. It starts up front. That’s the foundation of our offense,” Milroe said of his protection. “What I can say about those guys is they’re hungry and they’re constantly wanting to build.”
If Auburn can find a way to tally sacks against Alabama, great for the Tigers.
But more than anything, the Tigers’ focus remains plastered on containing Milroe in the pocket. If they can do that, they’re confident in their abilities against the passing game.
“It’s going to be good. You’ve got to contain the quarterback, and as a defensive back, this is the game you want,” said Auburn defensive back Keionte Scott. “With us containing the quarterback, that means he’s going to be in the pocket and throwing the ball. Knowing that in our heads means we have to prepare to stop the passing attack and make the game one-dimensional. Just slow the game down to come out victorious.”
Alabama
Update: Heat advisory affecting Alabama until Saturday night
On Saturday at 1:12 a.m. the National Weather Service issued an updated heat advisory valid for Saturday between noon and 9 p.m. for Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Pickens, Tuscaloosa and Greene counties.
The weather service states, “Heat index values up to 105 degrees to 107 expected.”
“Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses,” describes the weather service.
Hot weather safety: Weather service tips for staying safe and healthy
- Stay hydrated: Keep yourself well-hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
- Seek cool shelter: Stay in an air-conditioned room.
- Avoid sun exposure: Stay out of the sun, and make sure to check up on relatives and neighbors.
- Child and pet safety: Take every precaution to never leave young children and pets alone in vehicles, especially in extreme heat when car interiors can quickly become hazardous.
- Caution outdoors: If you must work or spend time outdoors, take extra precautions.
- Time your activities wisely: Whenever possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening hours when temperatures are more manageable.
- Recognize heat-related issues: Familiarize yourself with warning signs and how tp recognize the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Dress comfortably: Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing to stay cool.
Additional recommendations for outdoor workers:
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas for outdoor workers.
- If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.
- In emergency situations, dial 911 for immediate assistance.
These NWS heat safety directives are essential for safeguarding your well-being when facing high temperatures. Stay well-informed and take the necessary precautions to shield yourself and others from the potential hazards of extreme heat.
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
Alabama
Alabama News Center receives top honors from National Federation of Press Women
Alabama
U.W.A. is first in Alabama to offer a Master of Dyslexia Therapy degree
LIVINGSTON, Ala. (WTOK) – The University of West Alabama is launching a new degree this fall, the Master of Dyslexia Therapy program .
According to the International Dyslexia Association 15-20% of the population is dyslexic. That’s one in every five people.
“A lot of times parents see their children come home and they are just struggling to read,” said Sara Reynolds, Coordinator of Clinical Experience. “They are struggling to really capture and decode these words.”
Dyslexia is a learning challenge that is neurological, characterized by difficulties in reading and spelling ability.
“Without that their comprehension skills are going to lack and so with this program we are able to kind of screen those and give them a really good baseline to see where those children are struggling at,” said Reynolds.
The goal of the program is to enhance the number of equipped Dyslexia Therapists ready to help students soar.
“The program is a two-year program. It is thirty hours of course work and throughout those two years you will complete 720 hours of clinical experience. It begins really after you start the program, so this first cohort will begin in Fall I,” said Reynolds. “During the Fall II, which is in about mid- October, you will begin to actually be an actual dyslexia therapist-in-training. So those people will be in the schools wherever they are already employed at or we will partner them with local schools in their area to where they will actually give those services to those students in those schools.”
Studies show that Dyslexia Therapy is working, thanks to educators willing to pave the path toward a brighter future, one student at a time.
For more information on how you can apply for the program visit: https://online.uwa.edu/online-degrees/med-master-education-degree-dyslexia-therapy/.
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