What Kalen DeBoer Called ‘Learning Moments’ for Alabama’s Quarterbacks in First Fall Scrimmage

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama football is right around the corner, and the Crimson Tide held its first fall scrimmage inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday morning. The scrimmage was not open to the media, but Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer shared what he saw from his quarterbacks.

“I thought the plays that are there and you need to make that throw, I think they’re doing that at a higher level, not just today, but throughout camp getting better at it,” DeBoer said. “And a lot of that’s trust in your guys around you that they’re going to be where you anticipate them being, especially in those moments when you get a little bit of pressure, you get a little bit of a rush around you and just managing it.”

Unlike last season, there is no drama or mystery heading into the season about who will be the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide. Redshirt junior Jalen Milroe will be the starter for Alabama in the opening game this season. Milroe started 13 of 14 games last season, throwing for 2,834 yards and running for another 531 with 35 combined touchdowns.

Milroe has been taking all the first-team reps in fall camp with redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson backing him up. During media viewing periods at practice, Washington transfer Austin Mack has been the third-string quarterback with redshirt freshman Dylan Lonergan behind him.

Overall, DeBoer was pleased with the quarterbacks’ performance, but there was one area that he specified where he wants to see improvement.

“I still think there’s a time or two where we could throw the ball away, and I’m not just talking about Jalen. I’m talking about all of them, it’s across the board,” DeBoer said. “Just to keep us out of those situations where it turns into a third-and-extra long or something like that. That’s just here and there, that’s not something that’s happening a lot. But it’s one of those that just kills a drive. And when you get 11 or 12 a game, every one of them’s important.”

Alabama finished 129th out of 133 FBS teams last season in sack allowed. Some of those sacks were because of poor protection from the offensive line or bad snaps, but many were also the result of holding onto the ball for too long. Those plays disrupted drives and often caused the offense to stall out.

“Those are great learning moments, and we had a lot of those opportunities again today where we just get rid of the football, live to see another down,” DeBoer said. “We’ve got a lot of plays that can get us first downs as long as it’s reasonable.”