Alabama football countdown to kickoff: 37 days

If you can believe it, we are officially under the 40-day mark until Alabama is back on a live-game 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 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 July 28, that means we are only 37 days away from the return of Alabama football. The team here at BamaOn3 is ready to celebrate every day of the countdown standing between now and the start of football season. Let’s focus on a player — both past and present — who represents — or has represented — the No. 37.

*Note: BamaOn3 is also doing a Countdown to Fall Camp, which is only 7 days away.

Who currently wears the No. 37?

Walk-on wide receiver Sam Willoughby out of Vestavia Hills (Ala.) Vestavia Hills is wearing the No. 37 for Alabama this season. The other player, Demouy Kennedy out of Theodore (Ala.) Theodore, might be the more recognizable name representing that number, however.

Despite being a top-40 player coming out of high school in 2020, Kennedy hasn’t seen the field much as a linebacker for the Crimson Tide.

In fact, he hasn’t seen any snaps there during a game. His 14 snaps in 2021 all came at running back after injuries hit and forced a position change. Otherwise, Kennedy has been limited to a role on special teams. Granted, he’s been one of Alabama’s best players on those units.

We’ll see if his move from inside to outside linebacker during the spring sticks.

Who’s a noteworthy former player to wear it?

There was a time when some wondered if Robert Lester was only in Tuscaloosa because of his high school teammate, Julio Jones, but it didn’t take him long to prove any and all doubters wrong. Starting his final three seasons, Lester combined for 139 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and an eye-opening 14 interceptions.

His eight interceptions in 2010 still ties for second-most in school history. After Alabama, Lester spent two seasons (2013-14) in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.

There’s also a great pre-Saban No. 37 worth mentioning in former running back Shaun Alexander, who starred for the Crimson Tide from 1995-99. After redshirting in 1995, the future first-round draft pick (No. 19 overall in 2000) would go on to rush for 3,433 yards and 40 touchdowns on 534 carries over the next four years.

In his last two seasons alone, Alexander combined for 2,429 of those yards and 31 of the touchdowns on the ground. He would also add 702 receiving yards and 8 scores on 50 receptions, making him even more difficult to defend. For his efforts, he won the following awards in college:

• Second-team All-SEC (1998)
• First-team All-SEC (1999)
• SEC Player of the Year (1999)
• First-team All-American (1999)

The Seattle Seahawks drafted Alexander in 2000, and he proceeded to spent eight of his nine years in the league with that franchise. During that span, he would lead the NFL in rushing yards once (2005) while also leading in rushing touchdowns twice (2001, 2005). In total, Alexander put up over 10,000 yards (9,429 rushing, 1,511 receiving) and 112 touchdowns for the Seahawks.

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.)