Alabama football countdown to kickoff: 73 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 22, that means we are only 73 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. 73.

*Note: BamaOn3 is also doing a Countdown to Fall Camp, which is only 44 days away.

Who currently wears the No. 73?

At this time, it doesn’t look like anyone will wear the No. 73 for Alabama this season. That’s probably for the best, as the last player to wear that number just recently became the highest-drafted offensive lineman to come through the program since Andre Smith went No. 6 overall back in 2009.

For the last three years, offensive tackle Evan Neal has represented the number.

After being a Five-Star Plus talent coming out of IMG Academy, Neal arrived on campus in the spring of 2019 and almost immediately took hold of a starting role. With Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills as the team’s two top offensive tackles, Neal began his career at left guard, starting 13 games during his freshman year.

From there, he made an impressive switch from left guard to right tackle as a second-year player before ultimately ending up on Bryce Young‘s blindside this past season. That versatility served the 2021 consensus All-American well, as he was selected in the first round (No. 7 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.

Neal represented the University of Alabama — and the No. 73 — with class over the last three years. Now, he’ll be wearing the No. 70 for the Giants. New number, same Neal.

Who’s a noteworthy former player to wear it?

Neal isn’t the only highly-drafted player who once wore the No. 73 for the Crimson Tide. In the three years prior to his arrival, it was another former five-star talent, offensive tackle Jonah Williams, who donned the number on Alabama game days.

From the standpoints of recruiting, impact and draft status, Williams has a lot in common with Neal.

He was also a five-star prospect who was an immediate starter for the Crimson Tide. He played right tackle before settling in on the left side, and he was only in Tuscaloosa three seasons. But as far as playing style and body types, the two couldn’t be more opposite.

Williams is a guy who came in as a freshman at 296 pounds. He was a technician playing the position, but spent a lot of the early years working on getting his weight and strength up. At 6-foot-4 with only 33 5/8-inch arms, some draft pundits questioned whether or not Williams had enough length to hold up at tackle.

Neal, on the other hand, came to Tuscaloosa at 360 pounds as a freshman. Throughout the years, he’s worked on getting his weight down, not up. At 6-foot-7, no one has questioned if he possesses the size or length to play out in space. Yet, both players have found a way to play at an elite level.

Williams was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round (No. 11 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Since missing his entire rookie season due to shoulder issues, he’s been a key component along an offensive line that just made an appearance in Super Bowl LVI.

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.)