Chris Stewart is temporarily filling in for legendary voice Eli Gold on the Alabama radio broadcasts, and during the first touchdown of the season, Stewart delivered a class tribute to Gold.

“Waiting on the snap from Darrian Dalcourt here it comes, looking left, looking, looking, throwing across the middle, catch made, we miss you Eli, touchdown Alabama,” he said in describing Bryce Young’s 5-yard pass to Jermaine Burton, which made the score 10-0 with 5:55 left in the first quarter.

Gold has been the voice of Alabama football since 1988. He’s covered 7 Alabama national championships, including all 6 of the Nick Saban era.

Stewart has been in this position before, as he filled in for Gold 2 years ago when Gold contracted the coronavirus, and Stewart did the Arkansas game from the Bryant-Denny Stadium press box. Stewart also took over for Gold on basketball games 20 years ago.

Stewart himself missed time in 2019 for health reasons and missed the entire football season, and the first 2 months of basketball.