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Alabama’s Germie Bernard catches passes from Jalen Milroe, but in this instance the wide receiver is feeding the quarterback, who has gone from a Heisman Trophy candidate to a major target for criticism in a matter of 3 weeks.
In late September, Alabama was No. 1 in the AP Poll after outlasting Georgia in a classic in which Milroe was on top of his game, going 27-of-33 passing for 374 yards, 2 touchdown passes and 2 TD runs. Milroe was on top of the college football world, and so were the Crimson Tide.
But since then? Well, it’s been a struggle to say the least, and the junior quarterback is hearing it from everywhere. Milroe has thrown just 3 touchdown passes against 5 interceptions as Alabama has lost 2 of its past 3 games, and the 1 victory was a narrow escape at home against South Carolina.
So, what is Milroe supposed to do as the Crimson Tide’s Playoff hopes hang by a thread going into Saturday’s Week 9 home game against No. 21 Missouri?
“Don’t listen to any of the doubters — like, he says, the naysayers,” advised Bernard. “I always tell him, ‘I’m always going to have your back, regardless of what anybody else says.’ I just continue to tell him that, so he doesn’t get down on himself.”
Bernard has 25 catches for 381 yards and 2 touchdowns in his 1st season in Tuscaloosa after following head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington.
Germie Bernard on his message to Jalen Milroe: “Don’t listen to any of the doubters — like he says, the naysayers. I always tell him, I’m always going to have your back, regardless of what anybody else says. I just continue to tell him that so he doesn’t get down on himself.”
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) October 22, 2024
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
