Alabama football countdown to kickoff: 86 days

If you can believe it, we are officially under the 100-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 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 9, that means we are only 86 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 then.

With opening week 86 days away, let’s focus on a player — both past and present — who has represented that number.

*Note: BamaOn3 is also doing a Countdown to Fall Camp, which is only 57 days away.

Who currently wears the No. 86?

There are currently two players wearing the No. 86 for Alabama. The first is redshirt sophomore James Burnip, an Austrailian punter who just wrapped up his first season in Tuscaloosa. The other is second-year wide receiver Jacoby Boykins, a walk-on out of Houston (Tex.) Lamar.

Last season, Burnip acted as the starting punter for the Crimson Tide. In 15 games, he punted the football 48 times for 1,878 yards with a long of 50 yards. Unfortunately, those numbers only average out 39.13 yards per punt, which ranks at the bottom in the SEC.

Considering this was his first year playing American football, there’s optimism that Burnip will improve in Year 2. The good news is that he earned the Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award for his performance during the spring. That’s an encouraging sign.

Who’s a noteworthy former player to wear it?

When thinking of the No. 86, fans of most schools will immediately think of an offensive player. For Alabama fans, that isn’t necessarily the case. That space is reserved for former standout defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson, who played for the Crimson Tide from 2013-15.

Coming out of high school in 2013, Robinson was a borderline five-star prospect. A couple of the major recruiting services had him as such, while the On3 Consensus ranks him as the nation’s No. 39 overall player and No. 8 defensive lineman.

He was a part of a defensive class that included stars such as Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Tim Williams and Eddie Jackson. While it took those other guys a little time to work their way onto the field, Robinson became an immediate starter and even led the team with 5.5 sacks. From there, he continued to be a steady contributor and was awarded consensus All-American honors from his play as a junior.

With only nine career sacks, Robinson was more known as a run-stopping interior lineman. That played a major factor in the projected first-round talent falling to the Detroit Lions in the second round (No. 46 overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. He did provide excellent value at that spot though.

Through his four years with the Lions, Robinson was a steady, early-down defender who accumulated 162 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. Prior to the 2020 season, he signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams, who is now the reigning Super Bowl champs.

Still only 27 years old, Robinson should continue to be a contibutor — whether that’s for the Rams or someone else — for the foreseeable future.

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.)