Pre-Snap Read

The 2010 Heisman

A Tough Road to Repeat

By Paul Myerberg   //   Aug 31, 2010

Mark Ingram heads to the sidelines, but his Heisman hopes remain alive.

Does Mark Ingram still have a shot at reclaiming his Heisman Trophy? Never say never, but it won’t be easy: Ingram will miss at least the season opener against San Jose State, most likely the marquee matchup against Penn State the next weekend, and perhaps the entire month of September. If Ingram simply misses San Jose State, no problem. That’s a tune-up game for the Tide either way, with Ingram likely to play only the first half and a series or two in the third quarter. He’d still put up 75-100 yards, maybe a score or two, but his output wouldn’t affect his Heisman candidacy in either direction.

Missing the Penn State game, on the other hand, has a very negative impact on his chances. Looking beyond the fact that this matchup is likely to be a prime time affair, likely under the lights, the draw of the game is twofold: one, it’s a game that distinctly impacts Alabama’s national title hopes; and two, it’s a marquee tilt between two of the nation’s premier programs.

In other words, it’s a Heisman voters’ best friend: an important early-season game where a player can make a meaningful impression — whether positive or negative. Not playing at all, of course, is the worst move one can make for his Heisman campaign. Not to put this firmly on Ingram’s shoulders; players get injured, even durable bruisers like Ingram, and he’s not necessarily leaving his team in the lurch.

It’s become almost a cliche to suggest that Ingram is only the second-best running back on his team, with sophomore Trent Richardson Alabama’s best option. Well, we’re due to find out the answer: Richardson, after splitting time with Ingram in 2009, will draw top duties with Ingram sidelined. How could this derail Ingram’s candidacy? Let’s say that Richardson tears apart a good Penn State defense. What does that say about Ingram? No one can take away his 2009 trophy — and no one would, or should — but if Richardson puts forth an Ingram-like performance, Ingram’s numbers — and Richardson’s, perhaps — would be discounted as products of a system, not the player.

Which would be ridiculous, as Alabama runs as pro-style an offense as can be found anywhere in the country. It’s just that Ingram and Richardson are that good; both would excel on any team, in any offense.

Now, let’s flip the scenario: Ingram misses only San Jose State, returning in time to take, say, 15 carries against Penn State. Not a dominant performance, but good enough to help the Tide cruise to victory. Has his candidacy struggled? Absolutely not. In a way, if Ingram fights back from injury to help lead Alabama to a win over the Nittany Lions, he would have illustrated the type of team-first mentality that Heisman voters love. Perhaps that last part is a stretch. Still, being on the field — whether as a starter or in a reserve role — is better than being on the sidelines.

Most importantly, Alabama will not struggle without Ingram in the lineup. We can all rest assured that this is what Nick Saban is thinking about; I imagine, though there’s no way to know, that Ingram feels the same way himself. Richardson has shown every indication he’s ready to take on a major role, and should flourish with additional carries. By all accounts, Ingram will at most miss the first three games, likely becoming available for Alabama’s SEC opener at Arkansas on the final Saturday of September. It’s one thing to say Alabama doesn’t need Ingram against San Jose State and Duke, and perhaps not even at Penn State, but the Tide need a healthy Ingram for Arkansas, Florida and the rest of the conference slate.

In the big picture, whose Heisman campaign benefits most if Ingram falters? The rest of the nation’s top running backs, for starters. It’s hard to imagine Richardson vaulting into the mix, so the best players on the nation’s best teams step to the forefront. A guy like Andy Dalton, from T.C.U., would step into my top 10 if Ingram were to miss a sizable portion of the season.

Ingram’s road to a repeat would have been difficult even had he remained healthy, if recent history is our guide. Another note: our last two Heisman winners have faced early-season injury woes; Ingram joins Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, who was injured in his season opener last September and never recovered. To be sure, there’s no way Saban throws Ingram back in the mix before he’s healthy, something Bob Stoops might have done a year ago. He’ll take his time, though Ingram’s Heisman hopes diminish with each game he misses.

Tags: Alabama, Mark Ingram, Nick Saban, The Heisman Trophy, Trent Richardson

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