Nick Saban Has Tough Decisions To Make About Mark Ingram

Without a doubt the most disturbing statement I ever heard an Alabama coach make was during the ill fated 2006 season when a certain coach (who shall go nameless) stated to the press “How do you bench a player that close to the record?” 

He was referring to Alabama running back Kenneth Darby.   It had been a miserable year for Darby,  he had lost his father that fall.  I don't know if he was also injured, but the Kenneth Darby of 2006 bore little resemblance to the running back we saw earlier. 

As the year wore on, it became clear Alabama needed to rest Darby and give some younger players a shot, but apparently him being close to the Alabama single season rushing record warranted him more playing time.

Alabama continued to lose and Darby faded even more as the season imploded. Darby never even got close to the Shaun Alexander career rushing mark that he was chasing.  The coach that made the statement got fired along with the rest of the staff.

I was furious when I read that in the press. My answer to him would have been, “Who gives a crap!  At Alabama we are SUPPOSED to win football games”.

Personal records are great, but they don't erect statues of coaches because they coached Heisman winners or record breakers.

Alabama's staff may be treading into dangerous territory with Mark Ingram as he approaches Bobby Humphrey's 1986 single season mark of 1471 yards. 

This week's opponent, the Chattanooga Mocs, aren't a bad team, but they are not equipped to to take down Alabama.  It's a good time to rest someone who is hurt, and see how a back-up performs under fire. Hopefully, a chance to see the back-up quarterback throw some passes as well.

If a player is healthy, I'm not a big proponent of totally sitting him as a player needs to stay sharp.  A few series should be enough, especially for a position like running back.

Mark Ingram currently has 1297 yards rushing. That's just 174 yards shy of Bobby Humphrey's record.  While it's possible for Ingram to get that against Auburn, it's certainly not a sure thing. 

To give Ingram a reasonable shot to break that record against Auburn, one might expect Ingram needing about seventy yards or more against the Mocs.  That's all fine and dandy if that someone were me, or a crazed fan, or the guy with all the Bama tattoos, but when that someone is a coach who might decide who carries the ball, that's when the situation gets a little fuzzy.

It's worth noting Alabama won no championship in 1986. It was a good year,  but there are many good years at Alabama. Would Bobby Humphrey trade that record for wins against LSU and Auburn that year? I don't know the man personally, but I'm guessing he would.

There are those that would argue that records like this and Heisman trophies won are good recruiting tools. There may be some truth to this. Every player wants to go somewhere to play college football where winning such awards is within the realm of possibility.

The main ingredient to winning big awards is that you have to have exposure. In most cases, it helps greatly to be on a winning team;  Alabama fits the bill on this. 

Finally you have to be featured by the right system. This final point may have been an issue at one time, but currently Nick Saban has shown he will ride the horse that looks like a winner. To that end I can say check that on the third point as well.

In my opinion, Mark Ingram winning the Heisman will not have any measurable effect on recruiting.  It would be a nice thing to talk about, but I'm sure the focus of kids and their parents will be how Alabama can help them reach their goals. Having one Heisman winner doesn't help you get another; opportunity is what they want, Alabama provides that.

The trophy I'd really like to see Mark Ingram holding is that big glassy-looking football shaped like the one given to the BCS National Championship winner. I'd like to see him break that single season rushing record too, but not at the expense of his health.

If in the process of winning the final two games it happens, so much the better.  Alabama's coaches shouldn't push playing time just for records. It may just seem like one or two more series would do it,  but what if that series is the last for Mark Ingram? 

That's the sort question that never goes away.

Iif it turns out badly, former head coach Mike Shula may never escape a similar question about Tyrone Prothro.