TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama took the newly coined Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium for its first scrimmage of fall camp Saturday. First-year coach Kalen DeBoer’s side simulated roughly 102 plays as Alabama prepares for its first game of the season against Western Kentucky on Aug. 31.

Unlike last season, the Crimson Tide has a clear QB1 heading into the new campaign. Jalen Milroe is looking to build off an excellent finish to 2023 while developing in DeBoer’s complex, pass-heavy system. Behind Milroe, Alabama has a talented and deep quarterback room including Washington transfer Austin Mack and redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson, who made a few impressive plays for Alabama last season.

When speaking to reporters following the Crimson Tide’s first fall camp scrimmage, DeBoer said Milroe and the rest of the Tide’s QBs continue to improve. He is particularly satisfied with the group's growth in making the required throws that help keep drives alive.

​​“I thought the plays that are there and you need to make that throw, I think they’re doing that at a higher level, not just today, but throughout camp getting better at it,” DeBoer said. “A lot of that’s trust in your guys around you that they’re going to be where you anticipate them being, especially in those moments when you get a little bit of pressure, you get a little bit of a rush around you and just managing it.”

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban frequently described Milroe as a point guard for the rest of the offense. While DeBoer hasn’t explicitly used that analogy, Milroe appears to be taking a similar role again this season. DeBoer has seen Milroe grow and continue to execute Alabama’s offense efficiently to get the ball in the hands of the Tide’s playmakers.

Milroe’s continued improvement in his decision-making will be vital for Alabama’s success this year. Milroe’s explosiveness in both running and throwing the ball deep is obvious, but he has clear room for improvement in executing intermediate throws.

While Milroe has demonstrated a keen eye for big plays and a willingness to take risks, DeBoer added that part of Milroe’s growth is knowing when to throw the ball away and avoid a worse outcome like a sack for a big loss.

“I still think there’s a time or two where we could throw the ball away, and I’m not just talking about Jalen. I’m talking about all of them,” DeBoer said. “It’s across the board. Just to keep us out of those situations where it turns into a third-and-extra long or something like that. That’s just here and there. That’s not something that’s happening a lot, but it’s one of those that just kills a drive and when you get 11 or 12 a game, every one of them’s important. Those are great learning moments, and we had a lot of those opportunities again today where we just get rid of the football, live to see another down. We’ve got a lot of plays that can get us first downs as long as it’s reasonable.”

As Milroe heads into his first season as the clearcut starter, his role in DeBoer’s offense should allow him to showcase the deep-ball and running ability that made him one of the most explosive talents in the SEC last season. Milroe will have to balance those tendencies by improving his composure in intermediate passing situations and avoiding taking unnecessary sacks.

DeBoer recently said Milroe "took the best steps I’ve seen since I’ve been here.” While fans can only gain some much from glimpses at practice, performance in scrimmages and words from the head coach, DeBoer's continued praise of Milroe's development should serve as a promising sign that he's making the necessary adjustments to be an elite weapon in DeBoer's system.