Ingram carries big load on the ground

OXFORD, Miss. | On a day when Greg McElroy may have been knocked down more than his running backs, the University of Alabama offense needed something it could count on for consistent yardage.

In a 22-3 win at Ole Miss, Mark Ingram was it.

The sophomore rushed 28 times for 172 yards, both career highs, carrying a UA attack that sputtered in the red zone but shined on the ground.

“I did OK, but you always have to give credit where credit is due. The offensive line and receivers did a great job. I was just doing my job,” said Ingram.

None of Ingram’s carries were more important than his last before halftime, a 36-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down play that opened a 16-0 lead. To that point, the Crimson Tide had been denied a touchdown on three trips into the Ole Miss red zone, but for the second consecutive week, Alabama seized momentum just before the half with a crucial touchdown.

“That was a fourth-down play, and it was a special play we had for fourth-and-short. You go up to the line unbalanced, overloaded, you sweep it and try to get outside,” said UA coach Nick Saban. “We did a good job of executing it, a good job of blocking it and Mark did a good job of running it.”

Ingram took the play to the left side, accelerated through a cavernous hole and ran untouched to the end zone.

“I didn’t have to do anything, all I had to do is run,” Ingram said. “The line and the receivers did a great job of blocking. Ironically I dropped that pitch against LSU last year, same exact play, so that was a good way to make up for it.”

Offensive lineman Barrett Jones said the Crimson Tide tried to prevent Ole Miss from adjusting its defense by hustling to the line of scrimmage and snapping the ball on a quick count.

“Our goal was to run it real fast, to catch them off guard, and I think that’s what we did,” Jones said.

Ingram handed almost the entire rushing load with reserve Trent Richardson carrying just nine times. Richardson lost a fumble in the second half and did not return until only three minutes remained. Senior Roy Upchurch, though in uniform, did not see the field offensively. Despite his success, Ingram said Ole Miss’ defense was stout.

“They were the best defense we’ve seen by far,” Ingram said. “Strong, quick.”

Ingram entered play ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference in rushing at 97.4 yards per game. Following his Ole Miss performance, Ingram’s average is 109.8 yards. Tennessee’s Montario Hardesty, Auburn’s Ben Tate and Mississippi State’s Anthony Dixon were the only other backs in the SEC averaging more than 100 yards per game entering Saturday.

Ingram has at least one touchdown in every game this season, and in nine of his last 10 games dating back to 2008. He also extended a career-long streak of 278 touches (254 carries, 24 receptions) without losing a fumble.

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase.goodbread@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.