The University of Alabama football program is being well represented for something special.
An announcement came Monday from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta (Ga.) that three Crimson Tide legends, including Nick Saban, are on the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot.
Mark Ingram and Chris Samuels joined Saban.
Congratulations on being named to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot!
Coach Nick Saban@markingramII
Chris Samuels#RollTide pic.twitter.com/LCy3pIRkUy— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) June 3, 2024
Ingram came to Alabama as a running back in Saban’s first major recruiting class in 2008.
He became the program’s first-ever Heisman Memorial Trophy winner in 2009, totaling 1,658 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns.
Ingram propelled the Tide to its first Southeastern Conference Championship and first BCS National Championship of the Saban era. He made first-team All-SEC, Unanimous All-American, SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and Sporting News Player of the Year in ’09. Ingram is seventh all-time in school history for career rushing yards (3,261) and second for scores (42).
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Samuels, an offensive tackle, was one of the best linemen in Alabama football history. He opened holes for Shaun Alexander to be one of the best running backs in the nation, but Samuels was even better in pass protection. He did not allow a quarterback pressure in 1999, securing 91 knockdown blocks. Samuels made first-team All-SEC, Unanimous All-American, won the Outland Trophy, and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy in ’99.
He took the Crimson Tide to an SEC title, defeating the Florida Gators.
Saban was unmatched in his accomplishments as a head coach at Alabama.
He dominated college football for 17 seasons (2007-23), making the Crimson Tide the institution for everyone to model.
Saban coached six national championship, nine SEC Championships, four Heisman Trophy winners, eight College Football Playoff teams, several top-ranked recruiting classes, and 100-plus players in the National Football League.
He was a four-time SEC Coach of the Year recipient at Alabama and won a host of other awards too.
Saban now takes his talents to ESPN as an analyst while remaining a fixture of the Tide’s program. He and Ingram are now analysts for two different networks.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
