Nick Saban, Mark Ingram Shared Hilarious Family Connection on Recruiting Visit

The retired coach had quite the story about his recruitment of one of the best backs in Crimson Tide history.

Dec 12, 2009; New York, NY, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram (right) poses with his coach Nick Saban after being awarded the 2009 Heisman Trophy at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Mandatory Credit: Shawn O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports / Shawn O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports

Former Alabama running back Mark Ingram is one of the most accomplished ball carriers in the history of the school.

In three seasons at Alabama, Ingram rushed for 3,261 yards and 42 touchdowns. His best season came in 2009, when he tallied 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns, while adding three receiving touchdowns as well. Ingram's season resulted in him capturing the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football.

There's no doubt that recently retired coach Nick Saban was very happy to land Ingram in Tuscaloosa. Not only was Ingram one of the top running backs in the country, but also his dad, Mark Ingram Sr., played college football at Michigan State in the late 1980s when Saban was an assistant on the Spartans' staff.

Saban joined The Triple Option podcast to discuss the recruitment of Ingram II and the relationship was forged between Saban and Ingram's mother at Michigan State, which was hilariously revealed during Ingram's in-home visit with the Alabama staff.

"I saw Mark on high school film and I thought, 'Man, this guy is one of the best backs in the country,'" Saban began. "...He was like our number one guy that we were going after. But what I was concerned about was, you know, when I was at Michigan State in the summertime, I was in charge of making sure everybody got eligible. You know, Mark's dad, 'Big Mark,' and Andre Rison were the two wideouts and they were not easy to track down all the time. So the only way I could track them down is I knew Big Mark's girlfriend and I had her number, so I would call and find out where he was. So went I went into Mark [Ingram II]'s home, I was like, 'Man I don't know if Mark's mom is the girl I used to call at Michigan State.' So I sat there for two hours hoping it never came up and finally his mom started laughing at the end of the home visit and said, 'I was the girl you used to call.'"

Nick Saban shares a HILARIOUS story about recruiting @MarkIngramII and the Ingram family connection 🤣 pic.twitter.com/swvoA9knln

— The Triple Option (@3xOptionShow) August 22, 2024

Ultimately, the familial connection was one of the many reasons why Ingram landed at Alabama with Saban. And after a very successful college and professional career, it's safe to say that it worked out for the best for Ingram as a football player.