Alabama football countdown to kickoff: 32 days

If you can believe it, we are officially under the 35-day mark until Alabama is back on a football field. After coming up short in the national championship game against Georgia back in early January, the Crimson Tide will once again be searching for its seventh title ring under Nick Saban.

This year’s season opener will be against the Utah State Aggies on Sept. 3 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

With today being August 2, that means we are only 32 days away from the return of Alabama football. The team here at BamaInsider is ready to celebrate every day of the countdown that stands between now and the start of college football. Let’s focus on a player, both past and present, who represents — or has represented — the No. 32.

*Note: BamaOn3 is also doing a Countdown to Fall Camp, which is only 2 days away.

Who currently wears the No. 32?

Jay Loper Jr. is a freshman walk-on wide receiver out of Daphne (Ala.) Bayside Academy who is currently wearing the No. 32 for Alabama. The more recognizable name representing that number for the Crimson Tide, however, is none other than redshirt freshman Deontae Lawson.

The second-year linebacker only played 11 snaps on defense last season. Those snaps came against Miami and Mercer. Otherwise, Lawson wasn’t a part of plans defensively. He did contribute a little bit on special teams, but he was still able to maintain his redshirt status.

Year 2 should be a different story for the 6-foot-2, 225-pound defender, however. Entering fall camp, Lawson will be in a competition to replace the departed Christian Harris at WILL linebacker, but fifth-year senior Jaylen Moody remains the heavy favorite. Still, Lawson should see a lot more action, even if it’s in a reserve role.

Coming out of Mobile (Ala.) Mobile Christian School, Lawson was a four-star prospect was rated as the No. 51 player nationally, No. 8 linebacker and No. 2 player from the state of Alabama, per the 2021 On3 Consensus. On3’s own rankings had Lawson listed as a five-star (No. 21 overall) though.

Who’s a noteworthy former player to wear it?

Representing the No. 32, Lawson should hope that he’s eventually able to at least somewhat replicate the success of another linebacker who once wore that number for Alabama, C.J. Mosley. Of course, Mosley starred for the Crimson Tide from 2010-13.

As a freshman and sophomore, he was limited to a platoon-type of role with Nico Johnson, but Mosley still managed to produce 104 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 3 interceptions (two of which were returned for a touchdown) and 12 pass deflections. Starting in 2012, he took over as a full-time starter, and the results were more than impressive.

To this day, he’s still the only defender during the Nick Saban era to post back-to-back 100-plus tackle seasons after putting up 107 tackles in 2012 and 108 in 2013. He also earned consecutive first-team All-American honors for his performance, making him one of just three players (Terrence Cody, Minkah Fitzpatrick) to achieve such a feat since Saban’s arrival.

After college, Mosley went on to be a first-round pick (No. 17 overall) by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2014 NFL Draft. He spent the next five seasons with the franchise, racking up 579 tackles, 43.0 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 9 interceptions and one defensive touchdown in the process.

Then in 2019, he signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the New York Jets. Unfortunately, he’d miss or opt out of most of the next two seasons due to an injury in 2019 and COVID in 2020. Mosley did, however, return with a bang in 2021, as he had 168 tackles in 16 regular season starts.

2022 Alabama Football Schedule

Sept. 3 vs. Utah State Aggies (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Sept. 10 at Texas Longhorns (Austin, Tex.)

Sept. 17 vs. UL-Monroe Warhawks (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Sept. 24 vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Oct. 1 at Arkansas Razorbacks (Fayetteville, Ark.)

Oct. 8 vs. Texas A&M Aggies (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Oct. 15 at Tennessee Volunteers (Knoxville, Tenn.)

Oct. 22 vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Oct. 29 – OPEN WEEK

Nov. 5 at LSU Tigers (Baton Rouge, La.)

Nov. 12 at Ole Miss Rebels (Oxford, Miss.)

Nov. 19 vs. Austin Peay Governors (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Nov. 26 vs. Auburn Tigers (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Dec. 3 – SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Atlanta, Ga.)