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Nick Saban avoids comparing KJ Jefferson, Jalen Milroe: ‘They’re both outstanding athletes’
By Rolando Rosa
Published:
Nick Saban and No. 11 Alabama (5-1, 3-0) will host Arkansas (2-4, 0-3) this weekend in a matchup that will feature a pair of dynamic quarterbacks.
Alabama is led by sophomore Jalen Milroe, while Arkansas is guided by senior KJ Jefferson. When asked in a recent press conference to compare the 2 quarterbacks, Saban didn’t want to, instead opting to praise both of them.
“I don’t like to compare players. KJ’s a good player in his own right and he’s got a lot of experience and he’s gotten better and better every year,” Saban said. “Jalen has matured a lot as a quarterback, as a player, as a passer, his confidence in making reads and getting the ball out on time.”
Milroe and Jefferson each have improvisational skills that make them difficult for defenses to cover.
“They’re both outstanding athletes. So they can make plays with their feet, and they can scramble and make plays, keep their eyes downfield as passers,” Saban said. “That part of it is pretty obvious I think.”
Jefferson has passed for 1,300 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions during his senior campaign. Milroe has produced 1,159 yards, 9 touchdowns and 4 interceptions during his first season as a starter.
“But Jalen, he’s come a long ways from where he started with no experience to the kind of player he’s become in understanding the offense,” Saban said. “Being able to read and diagnose things more quickly, and distribute the ball more like a point guard and not think he’s got to make every play and understand that his role is to distribute the ball to the right guy at the right time and the right place and he’s gotten better at that.”
Arkansas at Alabama is slated for a noon EST kickoff and will be televised on ESPN.
