The Alabama Crimson Tide’s football season came to a disappointing conclusion with a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The Crimson Tide finished the year with fewer than 10 wins for the first time since 2007.
Alabama finished the season ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll, its lowest final ranking since 2007.
On Jan. 10, 2024, legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement in a news wave that broke the internet. Two days later, the Crimson Tide named Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer as Saban’s successor, but the numbers above show that this season wasn’t up to the Alabama Standard and fans were spiraling throughout the fall.
“We are okay, we are just fine, just let DeBoer cook,” college football analyst Mark Ingram told Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz at Super Bowl LIX radio row on Wednesday 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 played running back at Alabama from 2008-10, and his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in 2009 led the Crimson Tide to a National Championship victory. Saban’s first year in Tuscaloosa was in 2007 and Ingram got to play for him in years 2-4. Ingram helped start the dynasty, and like DeBoer, Saban’s first season also didn’t meet expectations (7-6 record).
“It’s hard [to be patient], but we had a good first year I’d say,” Ingram said. “How we ended wasn’t great, but we’ve got another year, a second year. [DeBoer’s] been a winner as 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.”
There’s a common saying that “When Alabama loses, America wins.” College football fans may have gotten more to be excited about this past season than in previous years, but that just adds to the Crimson Tide’s fuel to win. Ingram is fully aware of this notion and embraces it as well.
