Mark Ingram Says Georgia Should Be Thanking Alabama for National Title

Former Alabama tailback Mark Ingram Jr. is the latest of many to try and discredit Georgia’s National Title run. This is what he had to say.

For months, the Tide faithful have been banging their chests about Alabama’s victory in Atlanta in the SEC Championship Game where, according to them, “both teams were at full strength” and that that game was the only “real” result. 

Former Alabama tailback Mark Ingram Jr. is the latest of many to try and discredit Georgia’s National Title run. This is what he had to say:

“The only reason why they made a National Championship is because their Head Coach came from Bama… We’re gonna be back there again. I don’t know about them, but we’re gonna be back there again.”

Ingram would also go on to say "When they've got it proven over several, several years over a decade-plus, then they can come talk to me." 

Yes, Kirby Smart was Nick Saban’s Defensive Coordinator at Alabama, but he played for and graduated from the University of Georgia. That said, two can play the game Mark Ingram Jr., as well as many others, are trying to play. 

Let’s look at the numbers.

From 2008 to 2015, when Kirby Smart served as Alabama’s DC, the Tide Defense gave up just 13.5 points per game in that span. Since his departure, that points per game total has risen to 17.3 points per game. Alabama has not been in the Top-10 defensively since 2017 and has given up no less than an 18 points per game average in the last four years. In the past five years for Georgia, that total has been 15.8, finishing first in that category twice. 

Of course, one could argue that offense is the name of the game now, but is that really the case? Georgia just proved defense still wins championships, suffocating opponents all year long. 

The most interesting note of all, Alabama is 4-0 in the National Title game with Kirby Smart serving as Defensive Coordinator. Since then, the Tide is 2-3. Perhaps  Kirby Smart had a bit more to do with the Tide's success than Ingram portrayed? 

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