Alabama Football: Ranking the Top 5 Running Backs in Nick Saban’s Era

1: Mark Ingram

The most dynamic running back since Nick Saban took the Alabama job, was the first one, Mark Ingram. He didn’t have to be flashy to win the Heisman Trophy.

He ran the damn ball and ran it well.

It’s kind of hard to give the No.1 spot to anyone but Ingram. I mean he put Alabama on the map and had one heck of a career in Tuscaloosa.

Ingram came to Alabama in 2008 and was a four-star running back from Flint, Michigan.

He didn’t get used a whole lot during his freshman year, due to being behind Glenn Coffee. Even then he almost ran for over a 1,000 yards.

As a freshman, he carried it 143 times for 728 yards, averaging 5.1 a carry, and 12 touchdowns. Pretty good for a freshman right? It was just the start for the future NFL running back.

Once he won the starting running back job in 2009, it was on, and he destroyed everyone in his path.

As a sophomore, Ingram rushed 271 times for 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns. He averaged 6.1 yards a carry as a backup. Pretty impressive right?

The running back showed out on the receiving end of things as well. Ingram caught 32 passes for 334 yards, averaging 10.4 yards a catch and three scores.

He won the program’s first Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. In that same year, he helped Saban get his first National Championship at Alabama. There are other awards he won, but we would be here all day if I list them all.

During his junior year, he carried it 158 times for 875 yards and 13 touchdowns. He averaged 5.5 yards a carry. Ingram also had 21 catches for 282 yards, averaging 13.4 yards per catch and one score.

He would have likely had over 1,000 yards but had to miss the first two games because of an injury.

Through three years, Ingram collected 3,261 yards and 42 touchdowns. He averaged 5.7 yards a touch.

When I think of the best  Alabama running back, Ingram was the first to hit my mind.

Ingram started the trend for Saban, and 12 years later, here he still sits at the top.

He is dynamic in every way you want a running back and continues to be successful in the NFL. Ingram evolved the running back game in the SEC which now possess a lot of running backs that have similar running styles.

Until someone else produces as he did, there will never be another Alabama running back that touches Ingram.