Michigan DC: Milroe runs ball like Reggie Bush

• Paolo Uggetti, ESPNDec 28, 2023, 02:51 PM ET

LOS ANGELES– For two seasons in the NFL, Michigan protective planner Jesse Minter had to face Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in practice. As the previous defensive backs coach in Baltimore, Minter recognizes with dealing with a dynamic quarterback and, while Michigan prepares to deal with Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl, Minter understands the Wolverines will have their hands full safeguarding the Tide’s own vibrant signal-caller in Jalen Milroe.

“It’s like Reggie Bush running the ball,” Minter stated Thursday of Milroe’s and Jackson’s capability to make the most of a broken play. “It’s not like a quarterback that’s rushing, and he’s going to slide and [you] make sure you don’t strike him so you do not get a charge. This guy is going to run like a legitimate tailback or like a legit slot receiver once he’s in area.”

While Minter watches out for comparing Milroe to Jackson, he knows the challenge Milroe provides and the way he has actually improved as the season has progressed. The sophomore quarterback had a hard time to begin the season, losing the starting task for the game versus South Florida, just to get it back and lead Alabama to an SEC title and a CFP berth while recording 3,186 all-purpose backyards and 35 total touchdowns.Editor’s Picks 2 Related”I expect him to make explosive plays like he’s done all year,” Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham said.” It’s going to be a fight. “Minter explained the Wolverines’defensive technique to stopping Milroe as” 11-on-1,” noting that his defense will have to play quickly to stay up to date with Milroe and the method he leads the Alabama offense.”He can every play, not just needing to defend the very first play, but likewise what we call the 2nd play, “Minter said.”So his ability when he hangs back to one, scramble to throw the ball truly, really far downfield, or to discard the ball off to the speed guys, and likewise his ability to take the ball himself.”When asked what it has actually resembled to prepare for Milroe, a number of Michigan players compared him to Maryland

quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, the brother of previous Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.”His athletic ability and motions in the pocket are comparable,”linebacker Michael Barrett stated.”However I seem like he’s a various

type of quarterback than we’ve seen.”In the lead-up to the game, Minter said Michigan has been utilizing sophomore quarterback Alex Orji as a stand-in for Milroe throughout practice to replicate Milroe’s ability and tendencies as much as possible. “It’s difficult to simulate a guy like Jalen Milroe,”Minter said.”Alex has a distinct capability that we can try to mimic him, however to say that we can mimic him to a T is probably not

reasonable to him and how well he’s played this year, however Alex has actually done a terrific job trying to offer it the very best appearance.”As Minter describes, among the things Milroe excels at is throwing the ball downfield. Throughout practice, Orji has actually been utilized to duplicate some of those long throws in order to allow the Wolverines’

defense to get utilized to such plays and having the ability to track the ball down in the air.Milroe, for his part, understands he’ll meet his match when going up against a Michigan defense with a stout front and the capability to put pressure on the quarterback.”Their interior D-line play is actually hard, physical

, “Milroe stated. “They do a lot of stunts, do a great deal of choices up front, which is something that we are trying to prepare as much as possible for that situation because they do a truly good task of making [the quarterback] toss the ball.”