"I didn't want to make an emotional decision" — Jalen Milroe shares why he decided to make Alabama comeback

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe is gearing up for another season as the starting QB of the program. After Bryce Young's departure to the NFL, ex-Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban put his faith in Milroe's abilities last season. And despite a few hiccups, the young quarterback led Alabama to an SEC championship and the college football playoffs.

When Saban surprised the college football world with his retirement news after the 2023 season, many key Alabama players left Tuscaloosa to play for other teams. However, Milroe put his faith in Kalen DeBoer as Saban's replacement and stuck with the Crimson Tide for his senior year.

During an appearance on ESPN's "First Take," Milroe opened up about the factors that influenced his decision to stick with the Crimson Tide. He stated that he didn't want to make any "emotional" decision following Saban's retirement and that he is looking forward to finishing his master's at the university after getting his degree in three years.

"No. 1: I didn't want to make an emotional decision. Everything I do, everything is thought out. Also not leaning on my own understanding. Faith really came into the picture when it came to that situation. Also family. I separated my life into three pillars, faith, family and football. And that was something that impacted my decision," Milroe said.

"I told my parents, 'Hey, no matter the situation, no matter I start my first year in college, second year, third year, I'm gonna get my degree in three years. And I was able to achieve that this past December. At my graduation, I gave a speech to everybody, and I told them that of course I'm coming back for the next season, and I will get my master's degree this next December despite any challenges. And this is before Coach Saban retired. And I'm all about staying committed to my goals, and my goal is to get a master's degree from University of Alabama."

Last season, Milroe recorded 2,834 passing yards and 23 TD passes, along with 531 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Now, under an offensive guru like DeBoer, there will be a lot of interest surrounding Jalen Milroe's performance for Alabama this season.

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Jalen Milroe reveals the biggest lesson he learned from Nick Saban

Despite only being the QB1 last season, Jalen Milroe had spent the first two seasons as Young's backup under Coach Saban's guidance. And while on ESPN's "Get Up" he shed light on the biggest lesson the retired seven-time national championship-winning coach taught him.

"There's so many things I learned from Coach Saban, and it's hard to narrow down one. But if I am to choose one, I would say trust the process. Every process is different when it comes to just trusting your journey," Milroe said. "There are times of self doubt, there's time when you have to push through hard circumstances, and throughout that time, never waver from that. And it comes from a leader like Coach Saban, pushing each and every day to be the best you, that's very important."

It's a new era for Alabama under DeBoer. But after his success with Washington last season, can he replicate the same success with Jalen Milroe and the rest of the Crimson Tide in his debut campaign?