Alabama’s Milroe is unfazed by comments from Auburn’s Riddick

The Iron Bowl has been a bit spicy in the build-up to Saturday’s game, and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe subtly joined the fray Tuesday when asked about sharp comments from Auburn freshman linebacker Demarcus Riddick.

“I don’t know who it is,” said a smiling Milroe. “I mean, let him talk. That’s part of it. It’s about executing what we have to do so we can be the best we can be this weekend. But yeah, good on him.”

Riddick took the first step Monday when he said, among other things, that Alabama freshman receiver Ryan Williams is “not a big player for me” and that “every rival team I’ve played I’ve never lost to and I don’t want to lose to Bama while I’m here.”

In addition, Riddick drew on Milroe’s ability to play in the run game. Milroe leads Alabama with 615 rushing yards and is second among all FBS quarterbacks with 17 rushing touchdowns.

“He’s a good quarterback. He’s fast,” Riddick said. “But I mean, he’s not faster than me. He’s not getting out of that box this week.”

Alabama (8-3, 4-3) is coming off a 24-3 loss to Oklahoma that severely dents the Crimson Tide’s playoff hopes. To have any chance of making the 12-team field, they need to beat Auburn and likely need some help.

In the last two losses to Oklahoma and Tennessee, Alabama has not scored more than 17 points. Milroe accounted for one touchdown and five turnovers in those games. He threw three interceptions against the Sooners.

“It’s simple things we have to execute as an offense,” Milroe said of what plagued the Crimson Tide last week. “You can’t just single out one person. It’s about collectively as a group being the best us and doing the simple things. That’s what allows us to be the best offense we can be.”

This will be Milroe’s fourth Iron Bowl. He was the star of the game a year ago when he threw a fourth-and-31 touchdown pass to Isaiah Bond to win it for Alabama 27-24 in the final seconds.

“For us, we’re playing for the state of Alabama, playing for our families, playing for the guys in the locker room, but this game means a lot to a lot of people,” Milroe said.

Alabama has won four straight in the series and eight of the last 10.

Auburn (5-6, 2-5) hasn’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2010, the same year it won the national championship with Cam Newton at quarterback.