Alabama Football: Can Mark Ingram Repeat as Heisman Winner?

University of Alabama running back Mark Ingram made his presence felt both on the ground and in the air against the Florida Gators last season, picking up 189 all-purpose yards and scoring three touchdowns en route to an SEC conference title. It was a performance for the ages, and one that not only gave Alabama a chance to play for a national championship, but also solidified Ingram's name atop the Heisman Trophy list.

One thing that many people didn't realize that night is that Ingram's teammate and fellow running back, Trent Richardson, quietly averaged 7.3 yards per carry on 11 touches (his highest average against a conference opponent that year).

Alabama supporters already knew what Richardson was capable of after watching him pound the turf for six touchdowns throughout the season, but the national media and fans on the west coast wouldn't learn about his playmaking ability until the Tide faced the Longhorns in the BCS National Championship.

When the big game finally rolled around, Alabama floored the accelerator on the ground, and two 100+ yard rushing performances went on display for college football fans across the country. After their huge night, it seemed as though the media finally realized what Alabama fans had been thinking all year; the two best running backs in all of college football might very well be on the same team.

Fast-forward through the summer recruiting season, as both players were named to the SEC's pre-season first team offense.

The questions began flooding into Tuscaloosa regarding the possibility of a Heisman repeat for Ingram. During the multitude of interviews he did after last season, he always seemed to manage to tactfully dismiss talk about another individual award in favor of a different trophy; another BCS Championship.

After answering the same questions for weeks, it became more and more apparent that this notion of a Heisman repeat was irrelevant to both Ingram and Richardson. These guys simply want to win football games, end of story.

While a lot of respect should go to both players for their selfless approach to the season, you should also credit the Alabama coaching staff with instilling a strong "win first" attitude in their player's heads.

Whatever the outcome next season - Heisman or no Heisman, championship or no championship, 1,500 yards or 500 yards - don't count on seeing any Charles Woodson-esque poses struck in the end-zone by either player, as they attempt to plow through one of the toughest schedules in football for a second consecutive year.

"Mark Ingram" - ESPN.com
"Trent Richardson" - ESPN.com