Alabama spring football game: Preview, TV schedule, storylines to watch

When and what to watch as Alabama kicks off its 2022 spring football game.

Despite losing the College Football Playoff national championship to Georgia last season, Alabama still comes into 2022 as the odds-on favorite to win it all this year.

But between now and then the Crimson Tide have a few questions to answer.

Two vital pieces are in place, as Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Bryce Young and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Will Anderson both return this fall, but the team has to plug in the right contributors at important positions around them.

That will be high on Nick Saban's to-do list at this year's A-Day Game at Bryant Denny Stadium. Here's everything you need to know about the game, including the full schedule and what storylines to watch.

Alabama spring football game schedule

When: Saturday, April 16

Where: Bryant Denny Stadium; Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Time: 3 p.m. Eastern

TV network: SEC Network+

Livestream: ESPN+

The White Team is 9-5 in A-Day Games since head coach Nick Saban arrived at Alabama in 2007. It won the last two scrimmages and the Crimson Team won the two before that. Attendance has surpassed 90,000 three times in that span and over 70,000 eight other times.

Alabama spring football game storylines to watch

1. Depth at wide receiver

USA Today Images

Losing a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in John Metchie and Jameson Williams isn't ideal, but there's plenty to work with at the position. Namely, Jermaine Burton, Georgia's leading receiver a year ago who transferred to the Tide for the 2022 season.

After Burton on the depth chart, however, things look very wide open. Ja'Corey Brooks caught two touchdowns a year ago off 15 catches, with 10 receptions for 113 yards and a score in the College Football Playoff. Cameron Latu returns at tight end after placing second on the team with eight TDs last fall.

2. Bryce Young's backup

There's no question who Alabama's starting quarterback will be. Young piled up 4,872 passing yards with 47 TDs and seven picks last fall en route to a Heisman Trophy.

Job 1 is keeping him healthy and ready for September. But it doesn't hurt to get an idea of what's behind him as the Tide looks ahead to the 2023 season, or in case of Young being injured in '22.

Paul Tyson, Bear Bryant's great-grandson, is gone after transferring to Arizona State. That leaves Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson as Bama's best bets behind Young. Milroe threw seven passes a year ago, one for a 24 yard touchdown against Southern Miss. Keep an eye on 5-star Ty Simpson out of Tennessee, part of the Tide's 2022 recruiting class, who brings a ton of potential and could be the guy going forward.

3. Get a look at these transfers

Alabama proved a worthwhile destination for some of college football's best transfer players. Former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks, Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs, offensive tackle Tyler Steen, and wide receiver Jermaine Burton round out a very elite group of inputs for the Tide to work with.

Gibbs should get the lion's share of attention in the backfield right away, coming over with 1,200 rushing yards over the last two seasons and coming off a 746 yard, four TD campaign as a sophomore last year. Ricks picked off four passes and broke up five more as a freshman, and Burton was Georgia's top receiver on the national title team.

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