College football is its own little microcosm in the grand scheme of the sports realm. Among a variety of facets that make it a standalone thing is the nature of the athletes. These aren’t professionals; they’re students. Ones with rather imposing, chiseled physiques, but students after all. If there’s one player who blurs the lines between prowess on the gridiron and the classroom, though, it’s Jalen Milroe. The quarterback is a dual-threat in more than one way.
There’s way more than meets the eye with Alabama graduate Milroe. With merely 2 years atop the depth chart and 27 total starts for the Crimson Tide, Jalen Milroe is an unknown quantity in the backfield. There’s a fairly prevalent notion that he can’t throw. That he’s a one-dimensional quarterback who’s merely getting by on his freakish athleticism. Sure, Milroe can leg it for a first down at almost any time. His rushing and scrambling sure is what makes him an enticing draft prospect for the NFL. But scratch below the conspicuous surface, and you’ll find him to be a scholar in the classroom.
Jalen Milroe was bestowed the honor of receiving the William V. Campbell Trophy, aka the Academic Heisman, in his final collegiate season. Milroe initially graduated in December ‘23 with a 3.52 GPA, which has now changed significantly. He holds a degree in management with a concentration in entrepreneurship. Milroe also has a master’s degree in sports management. You may have heard about his hand size increasing by half an inch within a span of a fortnight between the Senior Bowl at the Combine. Well, it’s not as drastic. But his GPA has also increased.
The National Football Foundation relayed that Jalen Milroe’s GPA now sits at 3.65. He’s an NFF Hall of Fame inductee, only the 7th ever from Bama. Milroe has proclaimed that his acumen for the game is boosted by his acumen in the classroom. “There’s so many things you learn in school which can be implemented into football,” he said during Senior Bowl week. “I definitely correlate the two when I have the opportunity.” Milroe’s success in school is something that can be molded into a recruiting tool for Kalen DeBoer and Bama.
For someone who cannot dedicatedly focus on his academics, Jalen Milroe has done extremely well for himself. This also shows it’s indeed possible to balance both sides for a student-athlete. Or at least that’s the case down in Tuscaloosa. Coach DeBoer can now provide evidence that Alabama’s culture allows kids to thrive in multiple walks of life. He probably needs to, since this recruiting cycle didn’t quite go to plan.
Jalen Milroe’s academic escapades can help Kalen DeBoer sell the program better
One year is an eternity in college football. Now, Nick Saban’s retirement was always bound to cause a seismic shift in the sport. The earthquake happened, and a year later, its aftershocks are still reverberating across the epicenter, Tuscaloosa. The problem for the Crimson Tide is that these shocks aren’t quite dissipating. In fact, they are tearing up the foundation. There is concern that the house Saban built is now standing rather precariously under the tenancy of Kalen DeBoer.
Bama has been a revolving door of high-rated recruits. Tuscaloosa has seen more 5-stars than downtown LA. They’ve produced more NFL players than any program. Now, the responsibility to keep adding to this rich history sits on Kalen DeBoer’s shoulders. Apart from his play-calling and development, one thing that Bama missed last year was Saban’s magnetic pull. Recruits don’t view the program in the same light anymore. This is certainly no mistake or indictment of DeBoer. But he knew he was succeeding the GOAT and was always going to have difficult shoes to fill. The sheen has worn off this blueblood program, and a top-ranked recruiting class isn’t automatic for them anymore. However, Jalen Milroe can help smear the proverbial sheen back.
A very small percentage of college athletes make it pro. Having an academic pillar of support in case sports don’t work out is requisite. Even if you do make it into the league, having know-how will help you avoid pitfalls. Jalen Milroe understands this and never lets his schooling suffer as a byproduct of football. Coach DeBoer can, and perhaps should, sell his program as an environment focused on holistic development.
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