Ingram's Heisman Hard to Believe For Alabama Fans

I first became aware of the Heisman trophy because of Bo Jackson. My high school had faced Bo Jackson three times and after the third loss my coach smiled as he crossed the field to shake hands. The McAdory High School coach asked “Why are  you smiling?”  My coach answered, “Because that guy is graduating”.  

Bo went on to a legendary career at Auburn and won the Heisman Trophy. Jackson however was an exception. Players from southern teams normally didn’t stand much chance to win it.  

The Heisman trophy started out as a regional award in the New York area and had expanded to become a national award and the most famous one at that. I don't know how or why, but you can't argue its status.

With the winner being picked by the press, and more press located in the North East than anywhere else, it seemed the average player at some northern schools had a far better chance than the best players from the south.

The examples are numerous, Peyton Manning being just one of many examples of southern players who got the shaft.

Alabama has had many great players over the years, Joe Namath for instance was nowhere to be seen in Heisman voting. 

Alabama had made a living with tough defense and a strong running game under Bear Bryant and had continued that under Gene Stallings in the early 90's.  

The formula worked then but last years SEC championship game seemed a perfect example of what was missing. Alabama had the perfect defense to stop Florida and the players all did their job. But Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators won anyway.

At Alabama it was almost an understood thing that to come here to play meant giving up individual aspirations to strive for a bigger target, championships. 

In recruiting this became a self fulfilling prophecy. Quarterbacks and other skill players often shunned the Tide thinking they could reach their personal goals better elsewhere.

One day in the mid 80’s my college roommate pointed out a young scat back named David Palmer. He said, “That guy’s is going to be Alabama’s first Heisman winner.”  At the time I thought to myself,  naaaa..  We don’t do that here.   

My roommate was almost right. Palmer finished third as a junior and could have possibly won it if he stayed for his senior year.

Tonight as Mark Ingram’s name was called, all of that frustration came to an end. My 12-year-old daughter was watching the presentation with me. I tried my best to help her understand the importance of the moment. I just couldn’t get it across.

Quite simply I never thought I would live to see this moment. When a Crimson Tide player would walk to that podium, surrounded by so many legends of the game, and become the next Heisman winner.

The list of amazing players who have worn crimson is too long to review, none of them better than Mark Ingram. He has been a warrior from the opening whistle of 2009 and has been there for Alabama all year.

His inspired performance against South Carolina in the fourth quarter was possibly the most amazing performances I’ve ever seen from a running back. I’ve seen backs get more yardage. But I’ve never seen anyone take over a game like Ingram did on that day.

I’ll never forget an Alabama lineman having to literally hold him by the arm as he was too exhausted to make it back to the sideline alone. Ingram left everything on the field that day, and everything he had was needed to put South Carolina away on a day where Alabama’s passing game had broken down.

For Tide fans Mark Ingram’s Heisman trophy is a point of pride and happiness that we never expected. For Tide coaches attempting to recruit the next generation of Crimson Tide players, the glass ceiling has been shattered.

Want to win a Heisman? You can do that. Want to win a National Championship? You can have an opportunity to do that too. We don’t have an “ap” for that, but with hard work and a little luck, who knows how far you can go?

Congratulations Mark Ingram. There were other deserving players, but no one was more deserving than you.