By Martha 
Alabama football fans had a rough season, finishing with fewer than 10 wins for the first time since 2007. After losing to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Crimson Tide ended the year ranked No. 17—their lowest AP ranking in nearly two decades.
Then came the big news: Nick Saban retired on January 10, 2024, shocking the college football world. Just two days later, Alabama announced Kalen DeBoer as his replacement. But the season didn’t exactly meet the usual “Alabama Standard,” leaving some fans in a panic.
Mark Ingram, former Alabama running back and Heisman winner, is telling fans to chill.
“We are okay, we are just fine, just let DeBoer cook,” Ingram said during an interview at Super Bowl LIX radio row 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 knows a thing or two about Alabama football. He played under Saban from 2008 to 2010 and helped kickstart the dynasty, leading the Tide to a national championship in 2009. He also pointed out that Saban’s first year in Tuscaloosa (2007) wasn’t great either—the team finished 7-6.
“It’s hard to be patient,” Ingram admitted. “But we had a good first year, I’d say. How we ended wasn’t great, but we’ve got another year, a second year. [DeBoer] has been a winner—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.”
Alabama fans know the saying: “When Alabama loses, America wins.” It’s no secret that people love seeing the Tide struggle. Ingram knows that too—and he loves proving the doubters wrong.
“Everyone is excited that we didn’t win 10 games,” he 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.”
Ingram is confident DeBoer can handle the pressure, even with Saban’s massive legacy looming over him. But it’s going to take time. As he told Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz, “Ask me the same question next year.”
Let’s see how it plays out.