No. 4 Alabama visits Wisconsin for the first time in nearly a century on Saturday sporting a 2-0 record, but the Crimson Tide are still chasing a performance closer to flawless. Alabama put up 21 points in the last six minutes of the fourth quarter to fight off South Florida last week, recording a 42-16 win in a game it led 14-13 in the third quarter. The Crimson Tide lost three fumbles in the second half, one from quarterback Jalen Milroe.
Milroe enters his third game under DeBoer showing positives to build on in coach Kalen DeBoer’s assessment. “I think about some touchdown throws that he’s made,” DeBoer said Monday. “Stepping up in the pocket. Those are things I’ve seen where he’s really improved. He’s had a scramble to (tight end CJ) Dippre where he hit him along the sideline … he went to the right hit (wide receiver Germie Bernard) on a scramble. “So I think eyes down the field, and playing that game that he can play because people worry about his legs where he can run and take off or he can draw the attention to him and throw it, I think that’s been great. When we give him looks where he can make decisions, there’s a lot of time 2-3 choices he can make … I think he’s getting better with every rep we share with him. Always learning. It’s good to grind out a win in the fourth quarter. Just something along those lines.”
DeBoer said his players are looking forward to the challenge ahead at Wisconsin (2-0), which he described as a “great environment.” “When you are preparing to go play those games, that hostile environment, taking it on and knowing its kind of you versus everyone there. Our guys are looking forward to the challenge,” DeBoer said. After forcing eight three-and-outs against South Florida with zero explosive pass plays allowed, Alabama wasn’t satisfied.
