Alabama QB Jalen Milroe does not let Stephen A. Smith's viral remark about him go unnoticed: "I remember what you said"

Last season, one of the players blamed for Alabama's poor start to the season was Jalen Milroe, as retired coach Nick Saban played musical chairs with the QB1 position. When the Crimson Tide lost 34-24 to the Texas Longhorns in Tuscaloosa, the quarterback was dropped for the next game against South Florida, and he got a lot of blame for the loss.

One of the loudest detractors of the quarterback was ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, who misspelled Milroe's name and roasted him on an episode of the "First Take."

"It's gonna be a tough season for Alabama," Smith said. "This kid Milroy, listen I wish him nothing but the best. I hope he ultimately gets it turned around. He's not what we are accustomed to seeing from the quarterback position at Alabama. This dude is not ready and you saw it.

"Look, he threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions but the bottom line is he's not that guy."

During an appearance on the set of ESPN's "First Take," the quarterback reminded Smith about his remarks from last season. The show posted a clip featuring Milroe on its social media on Thursday.

"Jalen Milroe here at 'First Take,' you know, hate that I didn't get to see you today, but just know that I remember what you said, that Jalen Milroe ain't it," Milroe said.

Jalen Milroe wins the trust of new coach

Jalen Milroe was the steam behind Nick Saban's team regrouping and winning the SEC championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs and leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

He threw for 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns and added 531 yards on 161 carries, resulting in 12 touchdowns, finishing No. 6 in the 2023 Heisman Trophy rankings at the end of the year.

During the SEC media days, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was full of praise for the quarterback's dual-threat abilities and emphasized that he will try to utilize his rushing game as well.

"He did that (passing) on a high level, so we need to make sure we continue to tap into that strength," DeBoer said. "But I think to continue to develop all the things he can do, and he's done a great job of improving his footwork and understanding pocket presence, is learning from the past and taking in what we've been really emphasizing here over the first six months."

"That (running) can come in different ways," DeBoer said. "That can come when you are pushing the ball down the field and everyone's dropping underneath those routes, and now there's even more room for him to run."

Jalen Milroe is one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy this year, which is a huge turnaround from how last season began, and most likely, Stephen A. Smith now knows how to pronounce his name properly.