With 8:14 remaining in the third quarter of Alabama football’s 24-3 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday, Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe threw an interception to OU’s Kip Lewis that was returned 49 yards for a touchdown. The play put the game’s final points on the scoreboard and left little doubt about the outcome, but Lewis’ return could easily have been stopped short of a touchdown.
As Lewis took the return along the visiting sideline, Milroe, the only Alabama player with a chance to make the tackle, slid as he approached Lewis at the Alabama 16-yard line and made a weak attempt to trip the Sooners linebacker when he could have simply pushed him out of bounds. Lewis was barely obstructed on his way to the end zone.
On Monday, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was asked about Milroe’s effort on the play.
“He’s got to find a way to get him out (of bounds). He’s a good enough athlete to where, just either use the sideline or force the cutback,” DeBoer said. “It’s not something you spend a lot of time practicing. … He’s got to find a way to get him out of bounds. I trust Jalen to do a lot of things and I trust that he can get (the runner) down. But find a way. Find a way to get the defense out there. Find some way possible to hold them to a field goal.”
Milroe drew social media criticism for multiple reasons on the play, with some describing the tackle attempt as a dirty play, while others simply saw it as an unacceptable lack of effort. Either way, the Alabama defense was denied a chance to get a red-zone stop from the 16-yard line.
Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X @chasegoodbread.
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