Who Will Score the First Points of the 2022 Season for Alabama?

Just A Minute: The Crimson Tide has a lot of candidates for posting the first points of the season on the scoreboard against Utah State.

If you're the kind of person who believes in omens, Alabama football fans enjoyed a big one on this date in 2007, September 1, when the Crimson Tide opened the season against Western Carolina. 

The first offensive snap of the Nick Saban era was a carry by running back Terry Grant, who took a pitch right, behind Mike Johnson, and was gone, 47 yards for a touchdown. Granted, some of that obviously had to do with the opponent as Alabama went on to win 52-6, but it was nonetheless a great way to start the new Crimson Tide era. 

Chances are, Alabama won't score as fast on Saturday when it hosts an underrated Utah State program, but it probably won't take too long. Only once during the Saban years has the Crimson Tide been unable to put to something up on the scoreboard during the first quarter of its opener, Duke in 2019, and it still won that game going away. 

But as for which player might score Alabama's first points of the season, that's much tougher to try and predict. This Crimson Tide team has a lot of possibilities when it comes to reaching the end zone. 

If history tells us anything, it probably won't be a freshman. The last to do so was Grant, although quarterback Jalen Hurts was on the throwing end of a 39-yard touchdown pass to ArDarius Stewart against USC in 2016. So Kobe Prentice would be a great story, but it just doesn't seem very likely. 

Of the 15 Saban openers, which Alabama has all won, running backs scored the first points on a carry five times. So a betting person would be smart to put their money on Jahmyr Gibbs, although Jase McClellan is a good option, and maybe the coaches will have someone be a short-yardage specialist like Roydell Williams or Trey Sanders.

Four times the first points were scored on a field goal, but only once over the last seven years. Will Reichard is as good  as any kicker in college football, but chances are if he's out there that early it's a long attempt because anything fourth-and-short on the right side of the 50 and this offense will probably go for it.

Three times a wide receiver scored, including John Metchie III last season. It took the Crimson Tide just seven plays to go 75 yards on Miami, with Metchie making his third catch count for points. 

Again, though, who would it be for Alabama?

One has to think Bryce Young will be eager to establish Jermaine Burton, but he'll have better matchups with some of the other wideouts like Traeshon Holden and Ja'Corey Brooks. Do the Aggies have someone who can keep up with Tyler Harrell when he's maybe the fourth or fifth wide receiver in a formation? 

Twice a tight end has scored the first points, but with Cameron Latu out that doesn't seem all that likely. We're high on Robbie Ouzts but haven't seen Miles Kitselman. Neither as Utah State, so who knows?

The other type of touchdown that Alabama scored to open a season was a 72-yard punt return by Christion Jones against Virginia Tech, and he ended up on the cover of Sports Illustrated. It's something that can't be ruled out. 

Nor can a lot of other things, which is the point here. 

Alabama has a lot of options, a lot of playmakers and some serious offensive diversity that's not being talked about enough. It all makes the Crimson Tide offense, which is led by the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, extremely unpredictable, and tougher to stop. 

However, for my prediction I'm going off the board, and with something different, and perhaps a little more exciting: the defense. Let's say Will Anderson Jr. on a sack-and-strip, and a Jordan Battle scoop-and-score. 

I'm not going against Anderson on anything this season.  

First Score of the Season, Saban Years 

2021 Miami, John Metchie III 37-yard pass from Bryce Young, 12:07
2020 Missouri, Najee Harris 1-yard run, 7:46
2019 Duke, Miller Forristall 27-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa 10:02 second quarter
2018 Louisville, Jerry Jeudy 11-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa 11:55
2017 Florida State, Andy Pappanastos 35-yard field goal, 4:30
2016 Southern California, ArDarius Stewart 39-yard pass from Jalen Hurts, 7:46
2015 Wisconsin, Derrick Henry 37-yard run, 5:54
2014 West Virginia, Adam Griffith 47-yard field goal, 8:18
2013 Virginia Tech, Christion Jones 72-yard punt return, 13:21
2012 Michigan, Michael Williams 2-yard pass from AJ McCarron, 6:56
2011 Kent State, Trent Richardson 1-yard run, 10:22
2010 San Jose State, Trent Richardson 4-yard run, 11:38
2009 Virginia Tech, Leigh Tiffin 49-yard field goal, 9:56
2008 Clemson, Leigh Tiffin 54-yard field goal, 9:43
2007 Western Carolina, Terry Grant 47-yard run, 14:38

See Also

Alabama Reserves to Watch this Season: Three-and-Out

Who will Score the Most Touchdowns? Three-and-Out