Alabama football countdown to kickoff: 71 days

If you can believe it, we are officially under the 75-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 June 24, that means we are only 71 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. 71.

*Note: BamaOn3 is also doing a Countdown to Fall Camp, which is only 42 days away.

Who currently wears the No. 71?

Darrian Dalcourt has worn the No. 71 for Alabama ever since he arrived on campus back in 2019. The coaching staff has been high on him from the beginning. As a freshman, he played 69 total snaps and played in 14 games over his first two years. Then in 2021, he finally got his shot as a starter.

Dalcourt started at center in 11 of the Crimson Tide’s 15 games last season. Unfortunately, he was forced to miss time due to lower body injuries, but he’ll be back competing with redshirt sophomore Seth McLaughlin for a spot in the starting lineup.

Coming out of high school, Dalcourt was a four-star prospect who rated as the nation’s No. 173 overall player, No. 11 center and No. 4 player from the state of Maryland, per the On3 Consensus. He chose the Crimson Tide over programs such as Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee.

Who’s a noteworthy former player to wear it?

As we pointed out in another recent article, the No. 71 has treated Alabama extremely well, especially since Nick Saban’s arrival back in 2007. In addition to Dalcourt, three other starting offensive linemen have worn the number, including Andre Smith, Cyrus Kouandjio and Ross Pierschbacher.

Today, we’re going to discuss Smith more in-depth. The Birmingham (Ala.) Huffman product wasn’t signed by Saban. Instead, it was former Alabama coach Mike Shula who convinced the five-star prospect to play for the Crimson Tide. Smith more than lived up to the hype, too.

He started 13 games at left tackle as a freshman, making him only the fourth first-year offensive lineman to start a game for Alabama. After the transition to Saban, Smith remained the blindside protector for two more seasons. He was a first-team All-SEC performer in 2007, but it was his 2008 season that stands out the most.

That year, Smith earned unanimous All-American honors, as well as the Outland Trophy, after only allowing one sack the entire season. He then went on to be a first-round pick (No. 6 overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2009 NFL Draft. To this day, he’s still the highest-drafted offensive lineman during the Saban era.

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.)