SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 17, 2024

Jalen Milroe

Alabama Crimson Tide

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We have Jalen and he is ready for your questions.

Q. Jalen, I just had a question about Ryan Williams. Have y'all built some chemistry so far? What do you think his potential is to play this season?

JALEN MILROE: It's been great to have Ryan on campus. He was a guy that came in the summertime. So for me it's about good chemistry and getting to know my teammates and that's what happens in the off season, getting to know my teammates. I tried to get to know Ryan, he is trying to master the game plan and master us as a group. It's new. I was a guy that came in and it was all about finding your place and trying to get better and also meeting new guys. So that's a guy that I tried to build a relationship with, with our reps together he's done a really good job building, getting better and he's a guy that's likeable around the whole campus, and all the coaching staff. It's a guy that's a key resource for Alabama.

Q. I know you've been doing camps throughout the summertime with the kids. Talk about the fun and the excitement that you had in Mobile a couple of days ago. And also a second part, the mental health aspect of things that you brought out and how you have been affected by it and how you can help others by talking about the mental aspect of it?

JALEN MILROE: Firstly the camps, my first was in Tuscaloosa at Hillcrest High, what a great moment. That was one of my goals was to host my first camp, host a camp and it was a sense of giving back to the community. In allowing kids to have fun and branch off and meet new people and have an opportunity to play the game of football. The game of football is beautiful. It's a vehicle for allowing you to meet other people, but it's also a journey where you can meet people and build on your craft and that's something I try to utilize is the game with having these camps initially. With the camps I just had it was awesome to be there with the kids, be in ball with the camp, able to play 7 on 7 with the kids, saw some good gritty moves, good dance moves, a lot of kids having fun in the hot sun so they were grinding. But it was a lot of fun to have the camps. I look forward to building and having more camps in the future so that was very exciting.

Secondly, you asked about the mental health aspect. That is a strength that people must have to be successful in the game of football. You might not realize it until you hit a tough moment on your journey. It's all about being around the right people that uplift you and also being around people that want to see the best from you and in you. That's all what it came down to. I'm a strong believer in faith and having that on your side. It gives you direction and purpose. It gives you the strength in any opportunity that is presented that adversity might pop up. Mental health is something you should truly be strong in.

Q. Jalen, two-part question. Going into the LSU game, you didn't have a lot of yardage rushing and you took over that game as a runner. What transpired in that game, and second, your thoughts on going to Tiger Stadium and what you have seen and heard about that this year?

JALEN MILROE: One thing that Coach Saban said to me, whether distributing the ball to our play makers, whether using your legs, put the ball in play so the offense can be successful but also doing things that's all part of the game plan. Of course try to master the game plan throughout the week and looking at some of Tennessee's weaknesses from our opposing opponent and when it came to that week it was all about attacking the game plan and trying to do what was best for our offense, whether it was my arm or my legs, that's what truly took place.

Secondly, your question about going to Tiger Stadium, what a great opportunity. Being a road warrior. SEC is the best conference, especially with Alabama you're going to get everybody's best game. So anticipating the great crowd and energy and super excited playing on the road.

Q. Kirby Smart did say yesterday any win in the SEC is a big win, and Oklahoma is going to come to expect tough Saturdays on the road. Talk about what Oklahoma can expect on the road in the SEC and what has been your roughest road game during your career at Alabama?

JALEN MILROE: First question, I've had a great experience playing in the SEC with just seeing all the enthusiasm, the energy, the tough games that's played in the SEC with all the competition. So I've seen a lot with my time being in college. I can just say they're going to have a lot of competitive games and also a great experience playing in the SEC.

Number one, the resources provided with being a student-athlete and being a student-athlete at an SEC school, a lot is poured into the universities and what a great opportunity with that being in the SEC. Super happy for them to have that experience. What a great opportunity with them being a part of the SEC. What was your second question?

Q. (Away from mic.)

JALEN MILROE: Oh, playing on the road is hard. That's something that we try to embrace in the off-season, the challenges that may be presented in the future with playing on the road. It's hard and they are down one because everybody wants to give Alabama their best game and a lot of energy in the building. So it's hard to narrow down one but it's super tough playing in the SEC.

Q. Jalen, do you mind describing your fit to us?

JALEN MILROE: Well, okay, so it was down to three suits. I was trying to decide which color I was going to wear. Whether it was a light suit, a black suit that was neutral, and a lighter color, it was hard to decide.

I want you to guess when I decided to put that on, I decided this morning. I hope I look all right because I decided this morning right before our flight. It came down to the shoes. You got to start with the shoes when you start your outfit off so I got the black Pradas on and then you build up from there.

Q. Your lineman, Tyler Booker, mentioned that not just that final play in the Rose Bowl has motivated you all so far this season, but really the entirety of the game with miscues that you wish you could have back. Being that your Coach Kalen DeBoer had some miscues, has he used that game to motivate you to and how?

JALEN MILROE: What a great question. There are a lot of things that you can reflect on from past seasons and number one for us was last year. We were blessed and fortunate to be in the college playoffs, one game away. What burn do you need more than being that close to the championship and so for us, we're passionate about each other and also passionate about achieving short-term goals and long-term goals in this process and we can all reflect from it. We shared the same experience from Coach DeBoer with failing to achieve a national championship so now it's about refocusing and focusing on our spring 2024 football season.

Q. When we were at the Rose Bowl you told us about doubters, some of your even your coaches previously. Now you're going into a season where you are highly respected by the media and especially going into a Heisman run. Does your mindset change?

JALEN MILROE: I think it's the same, being the best version of myself, being the best quarterback in the country, learning, growing as a player, seeking all information from my coaching staff, being a student of the game. I think it's all about going 1-0, and the grind doesn't stop. That cliche term, the grind and the stop. Each and every day that you have the opportunity to play the game of football, seize it. Try to do what's best for the football team in a sense. So I say, you know, for me, and my development, it's all about getting better and leaning on my brothers because it's going to be a chance where we play a game one and it's all about attacking the task at hand which is being the best version of myself, entering the building and having a rep each and every day that I have on the practice field.

THE MODERATOR: Jalen, thank you very much. Good luck this year.

JALEN MILROE: Appreciate it.