And it’s not fiction. 
Although it sure seems unreal.
At the beginning of the season, Ingram wasn’t even a star. There was zero pre-season Heisman hype for Ingram. He wasn’t pictured in many of the team pre-season photos — the sports information people preferring Terrance (Mount) Cody, Rolando McLain, Javier Arenas, and Greg McElroy. After all, Ingram wasn’t even a starter last year.
Alabama fans have always questioned whether we even wanted to have a Heisman winner — the idea being that in a team sport, individual awards shouldn’t be emphasized. We’ve always celebrated team accomplishments around here: national and conference championships, bowl victories, that sort of thing.
Indeed, many were pulling for Colt McCoy, hoping a Heisman would do for him what it did for Gino Torretta in the 1992 Sugar Bowl. It’s called the “Heisman curse” for a reason, you know. The superstitious among us consider Ingram’s Heisman a bad omen indeed.
Nonetheless, when Ingram’s award was announced at the UA – Purdue basketball game, the crowd went nuts. Mark Ingram is a very popular player — because he’s a team player. Saban never gave him an extra carry to help him pad his statistics. In fact, he had to split time with two other excellent backs, because that’s what was best for the team.
When Ingram was asked where he’d store the trophy, without hesitation, he said the University has a great trophy case where it would fit. He’s not even planning on taking it home with him. He really means it when he says it’s a team award. (Maybe that’ll break the curse — knock on wood, rub rabbit’s foot, throw salt over shoulder.)
And speaking of impressive people, Tim Tebow knew he wouldn’t win it this year, and he was gracious enough to notice how very nervous Ingram — a true sophomore — was. Tebow asked him if he could pray from him, and shortly before the broadcast found a quiet place to pray with Ingram that God would give him peace. That Tebow is an impressive young man, too (and, boy, am I glad he’s finally graduating!).
Has anyone found out how Tebow voted?
Voters preffer a winning player on a winning team. Sanfords's Gerhart had 1,000 more yards and 10 more touchdowns, with a lessor O line. I am sure Ingram will be the greater pro player, whereas Gerhart would have continued the H curse. Any of the finalists would be a fine choice.
Gerhardt played the weakest Pac-10 in a decade (no Pac-10 defense gave up less than 20ppg this season, and ARMY had a better defense than all but 3 Pac-10 teams) or more, whereas Ingram played 6 of the top 28 defenses in the country, and ran rough-shod over all of them while Saban brilliantly withstood the temptation to rush him 40 times/game simply because he could.
and I don't know where you got your stats, but Gerhardt had 200 more yards (and 11 more TDs — Saban likes passing TDs) with 62 more carries. Ingram's yards per carry is almost a yard better than Gerhardt's.
And Bama had a cool cat named Glen Coffee (like the drink, only spelled just the same 🙂 ) starting at tailback last year, and was fully expecting RB-by-committee this year!
Sorry, I read all purpose yards. I accept the weaker defenses. (With Florida's schedule, Charleston State, Tebow should have put up twice the numbers.) Still say Gerhart had better college season. If I was a pro scout, my interest would be on the big I.