College Football Playoffs: The Three Things That Alabama Must Do to Beat

As part of our ongoing 2023-2024 CFP coverage, here are three things that must happen for the Alabama Crimson Tide to defeat the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines and advance to the National Championship game on January 8th.

No. 1 — Alabama Must Aggressively Use All Of Jalen Milroe’s Skills

The Alabama Crimson Tide offense entered the 2023 season among the least experienced in the country, losing 89% of their production. To that, the Tide also lost their offensive coordinator from the previous two seasons, brought in a very young one with a mixed track record, was already staring down a four-way QB contest before even adding a fifth to the mix. Then there’s the issue of penalties and the lack of a game-changing WR1…and all of those drops among the rest of the wideout corps.

But what this team has done, after a very unsteady first 5-6 games, has been remarkable. Jalen Milroe went from a benched man who could not make reads and deliver the ball decisively to the 6th overall Heisman vote-getter. He grew from an athlete into a blossoming quarterback that happens to be an athletic freak. He went from taking an ungodly 27 sacks to just 11. He grew more confident in his keys, more confident in his throws, leaned strategically into his running ability, and absolutely dominated many games down the stretch. His coaching staff learned how to use him; and Rees in particular learned to be more creative and confident in his playcalling.

he Tide went from calling plays (as we saw vs. Texas and USF) to actually scheming for opponents — as we saw vs. the Georgia Bulldogs, when ‘Bama backed off its aggression, challenged the Dawgs mano e mano, and dominated up front in a game of patient deliberation and old school football.

And while Tide fans will forever remember 4th and 31, but the zenith of the season was Jalen Milroe outdueling Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels in an absolute treat of a contest between two gifted players.

So, it will come as no surprise that the first thing Alabama needs to do is reestablish the rapport that Milroe and Rees had going for the last half of the year. That means ‘Bama needs to get Milroe going. But that does not mean that he needs to go off for 400 yards and five scores; rather, Tommy Rees must strategically use all of Milroe’s talents, mindful also of JM4’s weaknesses, and get him into a confident rhythm early. Manageable throws, quick throws. Ones that allow him the option to tuck and run. Bait for an overpursuing linebacking corps that has also suffered injuries to its leading tackler.

It has been remarked by several coaches that there simply is no one like Jalen Milroe in the Big 10. And that is fair. There are very few athletic specimens with his arm strength, speed, elusiveness, and raw power anywhere in the country. So don’t limit him to designed QB power runs and quick-outs. Establish a rhythm early, take the…