Jalen Milroe will have to earn QB1 duties under Kalen DeBoer at Alabama

QB Jalen Milroe ultimately won over Nick Saban and he spent all of the 2023 campaign as Alabama's starting quarterback. He was also the starter for the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl.

One would think that would make Milroe, a redshirt junior, a shoo-in to be Alabama's QB1 as the Crimson Tide practice this spring in the first reps of the Kalen DeBoer era, but that doesn't seem to be the case automatically.

Speaking to the media on Monday, DeBoer mentioned that while Milroe ultimately started spring practice getting reps with the first team, there will be a competition at quarterback this offseason.

“You want competition, right? The competition is always going to be there and yeah, someone had to take the first reps today with the ones,” DeBoer said on Monday (h/t On3). “We lined up, and we refer to them as (ones). And Jalen (Milroe) did. He’s putting everything into it along with the other guys that took those first reps. But I fully expect those guys that are really hungry to be pushing those guys that are ahead of them to be their best. That’s what you want in a football program.”

Milroe's greatest competition this spring and fall will likely be redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson, a former five-star recruit. 

Simpson was the backup last season, but he did see action in six games, completing 11-of-20 passes for 179 yards. He also presents some danger to defenses as a runner, rushing 14 times last season for 86 yards, two rushing touchdowns and a two-point conversion.

Though Milroe will have to compete to earn DeBoer's trust, that doesn't mean he isn't worthy.

He threw for 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns (six interceptions) last season while also rushing 161 times for 531 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Milroe was also a permanent team captain last season under Saban.