Nick Saban shares heartfelt message for Mark Ingram II during his first Big Noon Kickoff show
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Nick Saban isn’t often seen as a mushy guy, but he can show some real appreciation for those he admires and respects.
It’s clear former Alabama Heisman-winning RB Mark Ingram II fits that bill. Ingram recently retired from the NFL after a long career and is now part of the FOX Big Noon Kickoff crew for the 2023 college football season.
As Ingram begins his broadcasting career, he received a special message from his former coach during the Week 1 pregame show:
Big Noon Kickoff had a surprise for new analyst Mark Ingram… his former head coach, Nick Saban! pic.twitter.com/44r1AWPmWh
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 2, 2023
“You know, Mark, they’re trying to get me to give you a hard time about something,” Saban starts. “If it was (Tom) Rinaldi or one of these other guys I’ve had some experiences with, it’d be very easy to do. But for you, it’s really hard because you’ve always been a model citizen to me. I’d like to congratulate you on a great career and congratulate you on the opportunity you have as a sports broadcaster. We appreciate you, we love ya, you’ve been a great ambassador to the University of Alabama and God bless you.”
It’s clear there’s a ton of respect between Saban and Ingram. The relationship between player and coach has lasted long after Ingram’s playing days were done in Tuscaloosa.
(Header image via @awfulannouncing on X)
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
