How the Tide Rolls: Why Alabama's Trent Richardson-Mark Ingram Is a Great Tandem

Alabama's Mark Ingram is comes off a Heisman-winning season where he rushed for 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Behind him is blue-chip sophomore Trent Richardson, who carries boatloads of talent.

Last year, Ingram and Richardson were a dynamic duo.

If defenses keyed in one of them, the other would run wild.

This benefited Alabama against teams like Auburn, which completely shut down Ingram but weren't ready for the slick moves and agility of Richardson.

Similarities

Upon first glance, Richardson and Ingram aren’t the standard RB duo.

Ingram is 5-10, 212 lbs, and Richardson is 5-11, 220 lbs.

Usually RB duos consist of a big, power back, and a fast, small back.

Although Richardson and Ingram are approximately the same size and both gain lots of yards after first contact, their styles are quite different.

Contrast—Mark Ingram

Ingram is primarily an in-line runner who relies on power and speed to gain tough yardage.

He is still a dangerous threat in the open field, but lacks elite speed on long runs. If he gets past the defensive line, it's impossible for one man to bring him down.

Ingram also catching screens and short passes, indicating solid skills in the passing attack. 

At the end of one of his long runs, he chooses a defender to put his shoulder into, which usually results in a bruised, woozy defender.

Contrast—Trent Richardson

Trent Richardson is very versatile.

Richardson has great moves, using spins, jukes, and stiff arms to "pick up that extra yard."

He's able to keep running with power even after bouncing runs outside.

He won a weightlifting trophy in a high school competition, and it shows, as he is usually stronger than the linebacker or safety that tries to tackle him.

However, he is at his best running up the middle, where he can anticipate holes open up before they actually do. 

Reason For "Unstoppable" Status

What makes them such an unstoppable pair? They complement each other so well.

They are extremely versatile, but their strengths vary. 

Ingram comes in and hits defenders in the mouth until they’re tired and leave open running lanes.

The last thing these exhausted defenders want to do is deal with Richardson, who darts through the smallest hole and takes off scurrying to the end zone.  

Together, Ingram and Richardson form a two-headed monster that's impossible to be reckoned with.