( This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)
TAMPA, Fla. — Jalen Milroe 's Alabama football career might well have come to an end Tuesday in a disappointing 19-13 loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
The Crimson Tide's fourth-year junior is expected to declare eligibility for the 2025 NFL draft, and if he does so, he'll leave behind a legacy complicated by a mix of what was and what could have been. There's a faction of Alabama fans who get excited for any player with an NFL future to put that off for another year in a crimson uniform, Milroe included.
There's another faction − one that grew in numbers on Tuesday − that's more than ready for a Ty Simpson takeover at the position.
How Milroe's career will be perceived stands in stark contrast to the quarterback he followed, Bryce Young , who was universally beloved by the UA fan base.
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Young torched opposing defenses with poise and accuracy that Milroe at times lacked. He was the first quarterback in UA history to post back-to-back seasons of 3,000-plus yards. He won a Heisman Trophy and became the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Young was, without a doubt, the better passer of the two by far.
But as the book closes on Milroe's career, it's worth noting that in one crucial aspect of any quarterback's legacy − team success − he and Young have nearly identical track records:
Both started for two seasons.
Both beat Georgia to win an SEC championship.
Both reached the College Football Playoff once, both as first-year starters, and both failed to win a national championship. Ultimately, as starting quarterbacks, they helped deliver the same team hardware − one SEC crown − in the same amount of time.
None of that makes Milroe the college quarterback Young was, but when it comes to their place in Crimson Tide history, none of it should be forgotten, either. Nor should it be forgotten that the Alabama defense didn't exactly have to carry the day in Milroe's most memorable performances. He faced Georgia twice and won both, including a dominant performance last September. He helmed wins in both his encounters against LSU and was outstanding in both those games. He went 2-0 against Auburn as well, and launched the famous "Gravedigger" pass on a desperation fourth-and-31 pass that instantly filled a page in Iron Bowl lore.
He split his two games against Tennessee . Just like Young.
In the four games Young lost over two seasons, Alabama's defense struggled, sometimes mightily, while while Young generally played quite well. That's very different from Milroe (21-6 as a starter), who played poorly in most of his losses, usually due to turnovers, which put his defense in bad situations. That was never more true than on Tuesday, when three Milroe turnovers led to 13 early Michigan points in a six-point defeat.
In short, Young could've done better than one SEC title with more support from his defense, but for Milroe to do better, he needed to be better.
As for a supporting cast, Young had more to work with. Of the four Crimson Tide offensive lines that protected the two quarterbacks, the two best fronted for Young. Were it not for Milroe's ability to offset his passing woes with the most dynamic running skills I've ever seen from a UA quarterback, a few of the aforementioned wins would've never come to pass.
Still, the Milroe era had some low-lying valleys. He was benched for a game after a poor showing in a 2023 loss to Texas . He couldn't dial in nearly enough accuracy in a 2024 loss at Tennessee. His failure to make what should've been an easy tackle on a critical pick-six against Oklahoma was an inexcusable lack of effort. His off days as a passer, unlike Young's, could be WAY off.
No, they weren't the same as passers. Not nearly.
But the accomplishments of the Alabama teams they led turned out very much the same.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Jalen Milroe and Bryce Young share similar Alabama QB legacies
