Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe’s dual-threat play makes him a tantalizing option for Kalen DeBoer during his first season at Alabama. That impact was on full display during the Crimson Tide’s 63-0 victory over Western Kentucky on Saturday.

Milroe finished the game with just nine pass attempts but still threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns while adding 79 yards and a pair of scores on the ground. He kept Western Kentucky defenders guessing all game, including a moment in the first quarter where Milroe stepped up and looked like he was going to take off before veering to his left and dumping the ball to receiver Kendrick Law, who wove in for a 22-yard touchdown.

“Originally in the play, I wasn’t open,” Law told reporters Tuesday. “And then just by Jalen keeping the play alive, not only with his feet but with his eyes, and locating me and delivering the ball. I just made a play after that. So praise to Jalen for doing that.”

Milroe’s ability to force defenders into tough decisions has improved throughout his time as Alabama’s starting quarterback. Law, whose score Saturday was his lone catch of the game, has taken note of how Milroe has improved his poise when moving around behind the line of scrimmage and searching for an open man, before taking off to make a play with his legs.

“Watching Jalen grow up and progress in his game, that’s a major thing,” Law said. “Him keeping his eyes downfield, staying behind the line of scrimmage, try to deliver the ball and then when he can’t he’s going to go be Jalen.”

When he does decide to be Jalen, Milroe turns Alabama’s rushing attack into a three-headed monster. The Tide finished with ​​334 yards on the ground Saturday with sophomore running back Justice Haynes leading the way with 102 yards and a touchdown. The Tide’s third-leading rusher after Haynes and Milroe was junior Jam Miller, who had 54 yards and a touchdown of his own.

Milroe’s ability to run is particularly a threat in short-field and red-zone situations, which Alabama had on both of its first two touchdown drives thanks to two interceptions from Keon Sabb. Milroe found Law for the second score and ran it in himself from 12 yards the first after Alabama started on the WKU 16-yard line.

“It’s really good that he’s able to run and throw,” Miller said. “At that point, it’s called a triple back [with] me him and Justice. It’s a dangerous backfield.”

Milroe’s continued evolution as a dual-threat quarterback will help dictate how far Alabama goes during DeBoer’s first season. Milroe’s opportunities to show how well he can lead the Tide down the field in an extended drive situation were relatively limited Saturday given how many explosive plays Alabama ripped off.

However, offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan liked the observations Milroe made after Alabama’s drives. While the defenses Alabama faces will only get more difficult to beat, the Tide’s season opener showed some positive signs that Milroe is combining his elite dual-threat skills with a high level of decision-making that will serve Alabama well this season.

“I thought he saw the game very clearly,” Sheridan said. “[One thing] we talked about all week with the group, not just Jalen, but the whole team, is improve as the game goes on — and the communication that occurs between series to try to just get better. See how they’re going to try to play you, be able to adjust, be able to adapt. So I was really proud of that. I thought he was calm, he was poised. I thought he was competitive, thought he showed toughness. Wasn’t a ton of snaps, obviously. There was some short scoring drives, but I was proud of how he played.”