Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe raves about Jalen Hurts, his ‘true inspiration’

Ahead of the College Football Playoff, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is looking to former Crimson Tide QB and national champion Jalen Hurts for inspiration.

“Jalen Hurts is my true inspiration,” Milroe said Wednesday ahead of the Rose Bowl against Michigan. “Because through everything, he always kept a smile on his face and a chip on his shoulder. When everybody turned their backs on him, he saw the bigger purpose in his future. And he’s a man of faith. You can’t beat a man that’s a man of faith. That’s someone who I love a lot. I have a connection with him. I consider him my brother. J Hurts, I applaud him because who he is as a person, not too many people could be like.”

Hurts was famously benched in the national championship game in 2018 for Tua Tagovailoa, who led the Crimson Tide’s comeback win against Georgia. But instead of immediately transferring, Hurts stuck it out for another season, eventually taking over for Tagovailoa to help Alabama win the Southeastern Conference championship against Georgia. In 2019, he transferred to Oklahoma and was Heisman Trophy runner-up to Joe Burrow.

Milroe is familiar with adversity, just like Hurts. He won a quarterback competition of his own this season after he was benched following the Crimson Tide’s loss to Texas. Milroe got another opportunity to start against Ole Miss and made the most of it, leading Alabama to an SEC championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Alabama will play No. 1 Michigan on New Year’s Day.

Milroe said he speaks to Hurts often over the phone and considers him a “big brother.” He said the best advice he got from Hurts is to keep the main thing the main thing, which he quoted in his postgame interview after beating Georgia in the SEC championship. Milroe has passed for 2,718 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.

The admiration goes both ways.

“He’s always been a very special player,” Hurts said of Milroe earlier in December. “He’s a Texas kid. And he’s just continued to grow and grow and grow and it’s been really, really nice to watch.”