Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama evaluates the present condition of the Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide’s football season came to a disappointing conclusion with a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The Crimson Tide finished the year with fewer than 10 wins for the first time since 2007.
Alabama finished the season ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll, its lowest final ranking since 2007.
On Jan. 10, 2024, legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement in a news wave that broke the internet. Two days later, the Crimson Tide named Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer as Saban’s successor, but the numbers above show that this season wasn’t up to the Alabama Standard and fans were spiraling throughout the fall.
“We are okay, we are just fine, just let DeBoer cook,” college football analyst Mark Ingram told Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz at Super Bowl LIX radio row on Wednesday in New Orleans. “We’ve got the players, we’ve got everything we need, We’ve just got to make it happen. We are fine.”
Ingram played running back at Alabama from 2008-10, and his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in 2009 led the Crimson Tide to a National Championship victory. Saban’s first year in Tuscaloosa was in 2007 and Ingram got to play for him in years 2-4. Ingram helped start the dynasty, and like DeBoer, Saban’s first season also didn’t meet expectations (7-6 record).
“It’s hard [to be patient], but we had a good first year I’d say,” Ingram said. “How we ended wasn’t great, but we’ve got another year, a second year. [DeBoer’s] been a winner as he was just in the National Championship two years ago. Give him time to cook. Get his players in there, get his system in there and get his belief going among the players. We’re fine. We’re fine.”
There’s a common saying that “When Alabama loses, America wins.” College football fans may have gotten more to be excited about this past season than in previous years, but that just adds to the Crimson Tide’s fuel to win. Ingram is fully aware of this notion and embraces it as well.
“Everyone is excited that we didn’t win 10 games,” Ingram said. “Most other teams would be ecstatic for nine wins. But to us it’s like a failure. We know that. That’s The Standard. We are the standard. 18 National Championships. When your team gets close, let me know. So it’s Roll Tide all day, every day, until I die. I don’t care what goes on. It’s always Roll Tide. We are always the standard. That’s why they hate us. We have 18 and their school is not close.”
It’s safe to say that Ingram has a ton of faith in DeBoer to fill the practically unfillable shoes of Saban. It will just take some time as the three-time NFL Pro Bowler closed the argument by telling Fitz to ask him the same question about the current state of Alabama football next year.
