Jalen Milroe Tipping Off the Defense: What I Noticed In Alabama’s 19-13 Loss to Michigan
Alabama's strategy was frequently exposed by the Crimson Tide quarterback's pre-snap stance, which made things simpler for the Maize and Blue defense.
The No. 11 Alabama football team lost to the Michigan Wolverines 19–13 in the ReliaQuest Bowl, capping off a mediocre season. For the first time since 2007, the Crimson Tide lost ten games, which fueled offseason rumors about the illustrious program.
What the Crimson Tide will do at quarterback in 2025 is their biggest question. Jalen Milroe, a junior redshirt at Alabama, has one more season of eligibility if he so chooses. Milroe might use the transfer portal, go to the NFL draft, or perhaps return to the Capstone.
Against a defense that faced numerous opt-outs prior to the game, Milroe had a poor performance in the ReliaQuest Bowl, taking five sacks and turning the ball over three times. With only seven rushing yards on 16 carries and a 50 percent completion rate, the Crimson Tide signal-caller was unable to lead Tampa to victory despite managing 192 yards of passing.
Michigan’s defense didn’t have expected first round draft picks Mason Graham and Will Johnson but they were all over the Alabama offense, almost as if they knew what the Crimson Tide was running before hand.
A weakness in Alabama’s foundation seems to have provided the Wolverines with a solid starting point, even though the Maize and Blue may not have been fully aware of what Alabama was running prior to each play.
Depending on the play, Alabama’s veteran signal-caller would line up with his feet parallel to the line of scrimmage on rushing plays and offsetting his feet on pass plays. Surprise, the greatest advantage any football offensive has, is eliminated by Milroe’s tendency.
Milroe’s feet help set the opposition’s path for every snap, but they don’t reveal to the Wolverines exactly who is getting the ball in any given play. If a linebacker understands it’s a passing play, why would he bite on a play-action fake? Instead of ignoring the run-fake, the opposing linebacker drops into pass coverage, which narrows the openings and increases the need for anticipation in the throwing game.
