Kirby Smart said it best. You never know what will happen on any given play with Jalen Milroe.
Alabama's quarterback is a lethal threat with his legs. He has also, in Smart's eyes, made a huge jump as a passer.
"He is as different a football player in college football as I've played against him in a long time, because people think he's just a runner, and that's not the case," Smart said. "He has a tremendous arm and can do things with his arm that other people can't. He can reach spots on the field and get it there faster than you can break on it, better than most arm talent people. So it's a tremendous challenge to defend a guy like him.”
Milroe has played against Georgia once before. That came in Alabama's 27-24 win over the Bulldogs in last December's SEC Championship Game.
Milroe completed 13-of-23 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns that day. He also ran 14 times for 29 yards, although four of those rushing attempts were sacks.
As Smart takes an early look at the Alabama film, Milroe's progression as a "natural pocket passer" is what stands out most.
"You see him make more throws now that are rhythm throws, on time throws, RPO throws," Smart said. "You can tell he's become more comfortable with those things. Still some of his best and most exciting plays are when things break down or when he runs the ball by design, either one is very dangerous. But you can see him as a deep ball passer, the vertical passing game, the shots, the rhythm throws, the outs, the timing throws, the RPO throws. He's improved immensely at that part of his game."
So how does Georgia prepare for such a threat?
It starts with a slightly different approach in practice. Linebacker Smael Mondon said some of the scout-team quarterbacks aren't wearing the usual non-contact jerseys this week, allowing the Bulldog defenders to "thud" them in practice.
Mondon added that each player being aware of his assignment is critical, especially at linebacker where decisions have to be made to go attack Milroe as he runs or stay back to defend a pass.
"The play call, what we're doing on defense. Like, sometimes, you know, it's our job to go do that," Mondon said. "Sometimes you got to sit back and kind of spy him. So really just the play call, knowing what the D-line's doing, and just being able to execute."
Alabama's offense thrives by creating explosive plays. If Georgia hopes to walk out of Tuscaloosa with a win on Saturday night, it can't give up many of those monster gains.
Smart knows that goal begins by stopping Milroe.
"They've got some really good skill players out on the perimeter that are explosive," Smart said. "They've got a quarterback that defines explosive, and they've got good backs, so when you've got good football players and weapons that they have out on the perimeter, it can be explosive. Our job is to try to prevent those, not give up big plays, and a lot of that starts with how well we play around the quarterback."
