PASADENA, Calif. — Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who played his high school football at Katy Tompkins, has become one of the top quarterbacks in the country. And he has the Crimson Tide in the running for a national championship.
But had he listened to the advice of another big name in Houston-area football, things may have turned out differently.
On Thursday, Milroe told the media that at the start of his career in Tuscaloosa, former Alabama offensive coordinator and former Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien suggested his future might not be under center.
“He told me a bunch of positions that I could have switched to, but look where I'm at right now,” Milroe said. “So who gets the last laugh?"
Milroe said he turned O’Brien’s comments into motivation. And that motivation apparently worked.
After some early-season struggles and a benching, Milroe became the team’s starter quarterback again by week 4. Since that time, the Tide has gone unbeaten with Milroe at quarterback, including an SEC title game win over defending champion Georgia.
Milroe will lead Alabama against Michigan on Jan. 1, with the winner moving on to face the winner of the Texas-Washington game in the National Championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston.
As for O'Brien, he's now the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.
