A Week 2 battle between No. 3 Alabama and No. 11 Texas will be among the most anticipated of the weekend, but in the eyes of ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, one team may already be in over its head before kickoff.
The NFL QB-turned-analyst briefly turned his attention away from Week 1 in the NFL to deliver his scathing perspective on the Crimson Tide, and quarterback Jalen Milroe—a week removed from winning his second career start—during a Friday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
With the show filming live in Tuscaloosa, Orlovsky had a chance to cast his pick for the game in front of a rowdy pro-Alabama crowd, which, as expected, didn’t go over too well.
“I think Texas wins that game,” Orlovsky said bluntly as the boos poured in. “Milroe scares me throwing the football. I keep hear people talking about Jalen Milroe like he’s a dual-threat quarterback. I see him way more as a runner right now than an accurate thrower.
“If I was Texas, I would blitz the tailbacks, because I don’t think the tailbacks are good in pass protection right now for Alabama.”
While Orlovsky did manage to sneak in some praise for Bama’s offensive line at the end, the analyst, despite being a virtual guest, couldn’t escape a vicious “Dan, You Suck” chant from the crowd as the interview ended.
In a message later posted on social media, Orlovsky, seemingly unfazed by the Tide fans’ ruthless response, added to his prediction with another breakdown of the contest.
“If [Texas QB Quinn] Ewers plays settled down (Rice spooked him some with simulated pressures) I think Texas can win. Milroe is athlete but lacks accuracy right now in intermediate game….,” wrote Orlovsky on X (formerly Twitter).
If Ewers plays settled down (Rice spooked him some with simulated pressures) I think Texas can win. Milroe is athlete but lacks accuracy right now in intermediate game…. https://t.co/LwAVi3aDL6
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) September 8, 2023
Needless to say, the now-viral clip could end up becoming quite the soundbite as Milroe, coach Nick Saban, and the Crimson Tide (1–0) look to prove Orlovsky and the rest of their doubters wrong against the Longhorns (1–0) on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
