Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer identified key area of improvement for QB Jalen Milroe despite stellar Week 1 stats

Instilling a winning culture is a process that never includes fulfillment. Nick Saban thrived throughout his career, embodying this stoic, unrelenting approach that could drive most people insane. However, it's necessary, and new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is showing he's of the same mindset as his predecessor.

Alabama destroyed Western Kentucky 63-0, and quarterback Jalen Milroe put up better numbers than most College Football 25 players could on freshman difficulty. Milroe had four total touchdowns by the time he completed his fourth pass and ended up with 200 yards and three touchdowns through the air, plus 79 yards and two scores on the ground.

And yet, DeBoer wasted little time after Week 1 to find holes in Milroe's performance without being overly critical. DeBoer focused on the fumbled exchange Milroe had while in shotgun.

DeBoer mentioned in the postgame commentary that despite his team's commanding victory that evening, there were a few downsides to note, such as the mishandled snap.

"We had a communication," DeBoer said. "I think we didn't snap the ball. I think maybe Parker was trying to signal something and get the line locked in, and that's just a quarterback and center being on the same page, and then all the sudden, it was time to snap the ball when Jalen clapped, so just things like that that we can continue to get better at."

Milroe explained after the game that the mishap was merely a minor error, caused by a mix of excitement and anxiety due to the season's first game atmosphere.

“It was just jitters," Milroe said. It’s the first game of the season, and you know you’re getting acclimated to the game. Mistakes happen, but of course, it’s collaborative. It’s something that we can both look at and reflect on how we can improve. It’s just first-game jitters, and we just want to build and improve off of it.”

Milroe has a keen grasp on the emotional dynamics at play, especially during Saturday's season opener, which diverged significantly from the typical initial game of the Crimson Tide football season. This was largely because Saban, who customarily would be on the sideline donning a headset, was absent.

The 72-year-old announced his retirement on January 10, paving the way for DeBoer to replace him. Consequently, this game attracted more attention than the average encounter between an SEC team and a Group of Five team.