10X SEC champ makes promising remarks on Alabama starting QB Jalen Milroe executing "explosive" plays despite setbacks in passing game

Alabama starting quarterback Jalen Milroe has found an extra gear since his woeful performance against Texas, and he has dragged the Crimson Tide to wins with his newfound confidence and rushing game.

Ten-time Southeastern Conference champion coach Nick Saban was effusive in his praise of his quarterback on his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" before his team faces the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 SEC).

"I think Jalen has done an outstanding job of communicating and leadership with his teammates,: Saban said. "His teammates have grown confident in him, which I think is important to all of us if we're playing on a team that everyone believes in you and trusts you.

"We still have things to clean up. We can still be a bit more consistent in the passing game. We have made a lot of explosive plays, and that's something we wanna continue to be able to do."

Is Alabama starting QB Jalen Milroe the cause of the team's offensive struggles?

If there's one player who has encapsulated the Tide's revival this season, it has been Alabama starting QB Jalen Milroe. So, is he also part of the cause of their struggles offensively?

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy apportioned some of the blame for the Tide's offensive struggles to Milroe.

“The offense, still, is a little bit herky-jerky," McElroy, who quarterbacked Alabama to the 2010 national championship, said. "It’s very big-play reliant. It has been hard to kind of wrap your head around the inefficiencies of the offense.

"They've given up a ton of sacks – currently they’re 103rd in sacks given up. A handful of those will go to the offensive line. But a handful also needs to rest on the quarterback’s shoulders as well. Jalen Milroe has held the ball a little too long. As a result, they’ve gotten behind the sticks more than you would like.”

Coach Nick Saban passed around the responsibility for the Tide's offensive struggles, and even Alabama starting QB Jalen Milroe was not spared as they prepare to face one of the best defensive teams in the country.

"Their defense is very aggressive," Saban said. "They’ve got good pass rushers, and we’re going to have to do a good job of controlling the ball, try to keep it away from them some, aight, so they don’t run 100 plays in the game.

"And it’s going to come down to fundamental execution on offense, which has been our little bit of an Achilles heel in terms of our consistency is playing with good fundamental execution. I don’t care if it’s offensive line, receivers, pass protection, quarterback execution, whatever you want to talk about. It’s good at times, but we have to be consistent.”

In seven games this season, the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide (6-1, 4-0) have given up 31 sacks, which ranks them No. 130 nationally.

It's clearly a huge problem and no one will feel it more acutely than Alabama starting QB Jalen Milroe when he comes up against the rabid Tennessee defense that has 24 sacks and is third in the SEC in this statistical category.