PRESS PICKS (Week 7): The Milroe experiment continues this week at College Station
STAFF REPORT
The experiment that is Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is a new experience for Nick Saban.
Allow for an explanation.
It is “probably” the first time Saban has brought in newbies at quarterback and offensive coordinator, as in Tommy Reese, and had them mature together.
In the end, it may not work but there is a certain learning curve that is going on right before our eyes. Fans may not like it, but it is what they will have to endure - bad tidings and all.
The next test at Texas A&M will tell us more but at the moment, this is all a work in progress.
If you want to compare to previous quarterback situations under Saban, go ahead. But they don’t include a new coordinator who, in a lot of ways, is learning under a lot of pressure.
Follow on this comparison…
If you took piano at a young age (or learning any instrument, for that matter), you remember your beginner books. They were simple and all about repeating the scales. Over and over, you played the same notes until you moved up to a higher scale, then higher until you were wearing out Mozart.
For the most part, that’s what Milroe has been doing so far. No, that’s not a slam. It’s just the way it is because it had to be. He is learning how to fly in a difficult situation.
Milroe is being reconditioned. He is learning his trade but on the job. It’s not easy when you play for a football program that expects to win every game by 30 points. But that’s where he is. He may not sense it but he has to follow the plan.
Does that mean Reese is not doing his job? That remains to be seen. In a way, this make sense since he is working for the greatest of all time.
Looking back at the South Florida game, this was in the plans all along… see what the other two (Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner) could do and when Milroe supposedly went “crazy” for not getting the starting nod that game, it played into the idea of seeing the others against a less-than-average defense. It also was a true test to see if the offensive line had really made any strides - and at the time - it didn’t.
The play calling has been suspect but we aren’t at daily practice and can’t see what Milroe can and can’t do or where he is improving or not. We know he can run… so does the opposition.
A&M will have a man shadow him… someone who can keep up unlike Mississippi State or USF. The Aggie front four will get a push and Milroe will need to recognize it early. Another test.
Add to all of this is an O-line that is also a work in progress. What was thought to be a positive heading into the season has been anything but… Why the miss on the assumption is a story for another day.
If Alabama is to win the SEC West, Saturday will go a long way to answering if the progression has continued in a positive manner. With Saban on the sideline, it makes sense to think that it will.
There is a three-way tie in first place with Graham Dunn and Doug Amos joining Wesley Lyle at the top of the Press Picks standings.
2023 Overall Standings (Last week)
1. Wesley Lyle 72-18 (12-3) .800
Graham Dunn 72-18 (13-2) .800
Doug Amos 72-18 (14-1) .800
4. Mike Peacock 71-19 (13-2) .789
5. Tim Gayle 70-20 (15-0) .778
6. Lindsey Bonner 68-22 (12-3) .756
7. Michael Butler 64-26 (10-5) .711
Rosie Langello 64-26 (11-4) .711
9. Barry McKnight 61-29 (13-2) .678
10. Rick Hendrick 57-33 (14-1) .633
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
72-18 (12-3) .800
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Georgia
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Texas Tech
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - Washington St
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
72-18 (13-2) .800
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Georgia
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Texas Tech
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - Washington St
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
72-18 (14-1) .800
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Georgia
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Oklahoma
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Baylor
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - UCLA
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
71-19 (13-2) .789
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Georgia
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Texas Tech
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Louisville
Washington St at UCLA - Washington St
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director WAKA Ch. 8)
68-22 (12-3) .756
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - JAG
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - Missouri
Kentucky at Georgia - Georgia
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Texas Tech
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - Washington St
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
70-20 (15-0) .778
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Georgia
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Baylor
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - UCLA
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
64-26 (10-5) .711
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Georgia
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Baylor
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - UCLA
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
64-26 (11-4) .711
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Elmore County
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Kentucky
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - UCF
Texas Tech at Baylor - Baylor
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - Washington St
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
61-29 (13-2) .678
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Stanhope Elmore
Enterprise at Prattville - Enterprise
St. James at Alabama Christian - Alabama Christian
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Tallassee
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - P. Julian
Alabama at Texas A&M - Texas A&M
LSU at Missouri - Missouri
Kentucky at Georgia - Kentucky
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Texas
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Texas Tech
Maryland at Ohio St - Ohio St
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - Washington St
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
57-33 (14-1) .633
Stanhope Elmore at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
Enterprise at Prattville - Prattville
St. James at Alabama Christian - St. James
Elmore Co at Tallassee - Tallassee
JAG vs P. Julian (Thur) - JAG
Alabama at Texas A&M - Alabama
LSU at Missouri - LSU
Kentucky at Georgia - Kentucky
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
Oklahoma vs Texas (Dallas) - Oklahoma
UCF at Kansas - Kansas
Texas Tech at Baylor - Baylor
Maryland at Ohio St - Maryland
Notre Dame at Louisville - Notre Dame
Washington St at UCLA - UCLA