Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the Michigan football team, and his top-ranked Wolverines arrived in Southern California early on Wednesday afternoon. Experienced the pomp and circumstance that precedes the Rose Bowl, Harbaugh and his players were taken to Disneyland on horse-drawn carriages, showered with confetti, and escorted through the park by two marching bands and a parade.
But the pomp was over and it was all business a half hour later in a crammed lobby crowded with reporters. And as Harbaugh and a few of his most important defensive players began to outline their preparations for the Crimson Tide in their month-long countdown, one name kept coming up: Jalen Milroe, quarterback for Alabama.
Graduating cornerback Mike Sainristil stated, “Milroe’s ability to extend plays is what keeps (the Crimson Tide’s) offence going.” “He has a really talented arm that is also very strong.”
Milroe has demonstrated his arm talent—which Sainristil mentioned—during the season. Milroe started the passing game after overcoming early setbacks to win a fiercely contested quarterback battle in late September. Less than a month ago, Milroe placed sixth in the Heisman vote and led Alabama to a late comeback that allowed them to sneak into the College Football Playoff (CFP) with 23 touchdown passes and just six picks.
But Milroe’s rise to that position wasn’t solely due to his arm prowess. Instead, his ability to create something with his legs out of nothing was a big part of what made him such a menace later in the season. Actually, Harbaugh used words that his own team was familiar with to characterise Milroe’s athleticism.
Harbaugh described the sophomore quarterback for the Wolverines, who is renowned for his stature and athleticism, as “like a real polished Alex Orji.” Knowing the physical skill set, the playmaking ability, or just the playmaking talent itself, you can see the amount of labour and the evolution of the project. That (Milroe) truly impressed me.
