Sources: Milroe earns QB1 status for Tide opener

• Chris Low, ESPN Senior WriterSep 1, 2023, 12:40 PM ET

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  • College football press reporter
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of the University of Tennessee

Jalen Milroe will begin at quarterback for Alabama in Saturday’s season opener against Middle Tennessee, sources informed ESPN on Friday.Milroe, a redshirt sophomore, had been completing for the task this preseason in addition to Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner, redshirt freshmen Ty Simpson and real freshman Dylan Lonergan.Milroe started for the injured Bryce Young in a victory against Texas A&M last season, ending up 12-of-19 for 111 yards and three touchdowns. He likewise hurried for 81 yards but dedicated 3 turnovers.Editor’s Picks 2 Related While Milroe took most of the first-team repeatings among Alabama quarterbacks this preseason,

sources informed ESPN that

he’s not always secured as the starter for the whole season.The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder is one of the team’s most vibrant players and he has a very strong arm. One of his priorities this offseason was ending up being a more precise passer.The Crimson Tide generated Buchner as a transfer following spring practice in April. He played under first-year Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees at Notre Dame

and got in the 2022 season as the Irish starter before hurting a shoulder in Week 2 and missing the rest of the regular season.Milroe and Simpson selected to stay at Alabama to contend for the job instead of moving somewhere else. Milroe made a lot of headway this summer season and preseason at winning over the locker room with his work ethic and leadership, sources informed ESPN. He was the No. 112-ranked prospect in the ESPN 300 coming out of high school in Katy, Texas.Alabama coach Nick Saban told ESPN this summer that he wasn’t in a rush to call a starter and wished to see how the preseason played out before making a decision.Lonergan, from Snellville, Georgia, might be the very best pure passer

of the lot. He impressed with his precision this preseason however requires some experience to be prepared to play.Young, the No. 1 overall choice in the 2023 NFL draft, was the fourth straight future NFL starter to play quarterback at Alabama, following Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Jones and Tagovailoa were both first-round draft choices, and Hurts was a second-rounder.