Prior to Jalen Milroe becoming the electric dual-threat quarterback electrifying Bryant-Denny Stadium, he was simply a Texas boy. He was brought up by two disciplined, Godly parents with a strong military streak.
Quentin and Lola Milroe didn’t simply raise a quarterback — they raised a leader built on faith, structure, and unshakeable resiliency. And due to their leadership, Jalen has developed into one of the most captivating college football signal-callers, both on and off the gridiron.
The Foundation for the Signal-Caller Jalen Milroe: Quentin and Lola Milroe
Katy, Texas, is the place where Jalen grew up, but his heritage lies rooted in something much more profound than territory. His father, Quentin, and mother, Lola, are military veterans. Quentin was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and later became a law enforcement officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Lola served in the U.S. Navy. Their combined service experiences were the basis of the values they imparted to their children, particularly Jalen.
The Milroes relocated to Katy in 2005, when Jalen was two. It was in that close-knit suburban neighborhood just outside of Houston that Jalen grew up with his siblings. The Milroe family wasn’t one for mollycoddling — it was about devotion.
“Discipline, my dad taught me, and focus, my mom taught me,” Jalen said during an interview with Alabama Athletics. “They grounded me. Whether it was school, football, or religion, there was no doing things halfway.”
In fact, discipline wasn’t a choice at the Milroe household. Quentin, who’d served in Iraq, brought to parenting a Marine’s ferocity — but also a service-born and leadership-oriented tenderness. Lola, on the other hand, brought to daily life Navy instincts, particularly when it involved time management and emotional toughness.
A Childhood Grounded in Religion and Discipline
One of the greatest constants in Jalen’s life is religion. The Milroes are Christians, and Jalen has kept that tradition alive — from youth football to the SEC stadiums. He reads the Bible before each game and openly thanks God for his victories.
“Faith is everything to me. My parents taught me how to walk by faith, not talk about it,” he explained in a 2023 media session.
Jalen’s father often reminds him to “never get too high or too low,” stressing the power of consistency—a mantra Jalen has echoed in interviews. That stability has served him well, particularly as he worked through adversity early in his Alabama career.
Originally pledged to the University of Texas, Jalen reversed his pledge to Alabama in August 2020 after a personal phone call from Nick Saban, then the head coach. Though most wondered if the Katy native would get playing time in Tuscaloosa, Jalen remained patient, working behind the scenes behind Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, and honing his craft.
His dad, Quentin, provided sage advice during that time of transition: “Sacrifice the next four years for the next 40 years.” It’s a phrase that Jalen frequently quotes when talking about his thought process.
From Backup to Breakout: Milroe’s Rise and the Parental Influence
Milroe’s moment of truth arrived during the 2023 season, when he seized the starting role after a rocky opening game earned him a brief time on the bench. Instead of crumbling, Jalen reacted as his parents had taught him: calmly and stubbornly.
“Adversity reveals character,” Quentin once said to The Athletic. “We raised Jalen to respond, not react.”
That mental fortitude was in full evidence in Alabama’s overtime win over Auburn in the 2023 Iron Bowl, as Milroe’s athleticism and leadership took center stage. By the end of the season, he had guided the Crimson Tide to an SEC Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
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His family filled the stands for every step of that run — always there, always solid. Quentin and Lola have never missed a game, usually sporting identical “4 Milroe” apparel and cheering on with pride.
Jalen’s ascension is not a tale of skill — it’s a tale of groundwork. Quentin and Lola didn’t merely rear a football player — they reared a man inured to stress, able to lead, and dedicated to existing with intent. As Milroe continues to grow on the field and towards a future in the NFL, the lessons taught by his parents will certainly drive every move.
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