What makes a player successful? A lot of factors, I would argue, but especially for a QB:
- Native talent.
- System in which he working. (Could Tom Brady succeed in the offense the Ravens run today? I would argue no.)
- Familiarity with that system
- Familiarity and chemistry with other teammates, (for a QB that means o-linemen and especially receivers).
If Coach DeBoer had not come to Bama, and Milroe transferred to UW, would he be the favorite to start for the Huskies next September?
- Native talent would be exactly the same.
- The system would be different from what he played under at Bama. (I did not see Penix running nearly as much as Milroe did for Bama last year.)
- His familiarity with the UW offense would be much less (as it is now at Bama under Coach DeBoer)
- He would have little to no chemistry with his new Huskie teammates.
My point is that I am not at all sure Milroe would be the starter for the Huskies in his hypothetical transfer to UW. I would say that the situation Milroe now faces at Bama is much nearer my hypothetical Milroe-to-UW case. Same talent. Very different situation.