The University of Alabama’s quarterback position was intriguing the previous season.
It took four games for the coaching staff to decide on Jalen Milroe as the new starter. For the next spring, he returns as a junior, but the opposition is more formidable.
Nick Saban is no longer Milroe’s head coach. The man who will lead the Crimson Tide into the post-Saban era is Kalen DeBoer.
He’s brought his offensive staff from Washington, and Milroe needs to get up to speed on some fresh ideas. He also needs to work on making better decisions in the pocket and increasing his accuracy on short to intermediate routes.
While Dylan Lonergan, a redshirt freshman, and offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, along with co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard, are pushing Milroe as guys familiar with Alabama culture, Milroe must also contend with a transfer who is familiar with DeBoer’s offense.
Austin Mack was Michael Penix Jr.’s backup after transferring from the Huskies. He assisted the Pac-12 team in winning the conference and earning a spot against Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The Folsom, California, native, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 226 pounds, is a rookie. From a distance, Mack seems to bring a lot of tools, but he’s also physically fit.
Coach Shephard discussed what makes Mack unique in this battle in an interview with Ryan Fowler, presenter of The Game with Ryan Fowler on Tide 100.9 FM. Mack wants to “push the envelope” in spring practice, according to Shephard.
Shephard remarked of Mack’s assistance to the Tide’s quarterback room beneath the attack: “Familiarity helps a ton.”
He sees and knows that it’s the little things, like making sure we are in the proper formations, performing the motions correctly, and shifting.” He will at least be somewhat familiar with some of our more advanced concepts that he was exposed to last year as a result of being Mike Penix’s backup.
He can throw it, which is a terrific feature. He is a really good thrower and can handle the ball on his own. Austin will be participating in those kinds of contests, so I believe the competition that will be created among our complete football team will really push the boundaries for us. There are other guys in the room who are really knowledgeable, so you will need to pick things up quickly and at a high level.
Alabama’s spring practice will begin on Monday, March 4, and last through Saturday, April 13—the day of the A-Day Game.
We’ll watch to see how much of an impact Mack has and whether Milroe can continue to be the starting quarterback.
