Michigan DC believes Alabama QB Jalen Milroe has an underrated trait

Michigan and Alabama are less than two weeks away from playing in the Rose Bowl, which will act as the site for one of the two College Football Playoff semifinal games on Jan. 1. 

Michigan, ranked No. 1, has a tough matchup on its hands with No. 4 Alabama. Yes, the Wolverines are undefeated and the Crimson Tide come in with one loss, but Alabama is arguably the hottest team in the country and you can never count out Nick Saban — especially with quarterback  Jalen Milroe.

Milroe is known for his athleticism and ability to make big plays with his feet (he rushed 140 times for 468 yards and 12 touchdowns this season), but Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter seems to be more worried about how the redshirt sophomore quarterback can beat his unit through the air.

"He’s a really good quarterback. He throws the ball better than I think most people give him credit for," Minter told the media on Tuesday, according to On3. "He’s made a lot of big plays on deep balls this year and he’s really capable of making that second play, which is a lot times the most dangerous as a defense to — you stop the play or you cover the deep route, everybody’s deep and in their zones and then he has the ability to take off."

To Minter's point, Milroe threw for 2,718 yards and 23 touchdowns this season with just six interceptions. He averaged 10.4 yards per throw with a 65.5 completion percentage. He also had a long of 79 and several big-time receivers to choose from in the Rose Bowl. Most notable is senior Jermaine Burton, who caught 35 passes for 777 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 22.2 yards per catch.

Whether trying to stop him on the ground or through the air, Minter seems to know his No. 1-ranked scoring defense will have its hands full against Milroe and Alabama.

"We’ve gotta play really disciplined, really together, really as one in a lot of our things that we’re trying to do. And we look forward to the great challenge that he is,” Minter said.