Alabama Football Reacts to Major Announcement on Saturday

On Saturday, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame will formally induct eight new members, headlined by former Crimson Tide running back and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II. 

The event, part of the 57th annual induction ceremony at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, cements Ingram’s legacy as Alabama’s first Heisman winner and a trailblazer in the Saban era.

By the end of his three‑year Alabama career, he had amassed 3,261 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns, ranking seventh on the school’s all‑time rushing list.

Celebrating the historic achievement, Alabama Football took to X to reveal the news and give Ingram his flowers.

The 35‑year‑old Ingram, born December 21, 1989, in Hackensack, NJ, burst onto the Tuscaloosa scene in 2008.

As a freshman, he earned All‑SEC Freshman Team honors after rushing for 728 yards and 12 touchdowns in limited starts.

His sophomore campaign remains one of the most decorated seasons in school history.

He led the SEC with 1,658 rushing yards (6.1 avg.), secured unanimous All‑American distinction, and became the first Alabama player to win college football’s most prestigious individual award, the Heisman Trophy.

Ingram’s contributions peaked in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game against Texas, where his 116 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries earned him Offensive MVP honors in a 37–21 victory.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Drafted 28th overall by the New Orleans Saints in 2011, Ingram parlayed his collegiate success into a 12‑year NFL career.

He totaled 8,111 rushing yards, 2,125 receiving yards, and 75 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl selections in 2014, 2017, and 2019.

After stints with the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans, he returned to New Orleans to finish his playing days and retired as one of the franchise’s all‑time leading rushers.