Nick Saban shares hilarious story about recruiting Mark Ingram

Now that Nick Saban is retired from coaching, he has plenty of time to tell some great stories.

Earlier this week, the former Alabama coach joined Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram and Rob Stone on The Triple Option podcast.

During his appearance, he was asked about Ingram, so he shared a story about the running back’s recruitment long before Ingram won a Heisman Trophy in Tuscaloosa.

“I saw Mark on high school film, and I said, ‘Man, this guy’s one of the best backs in the country,’” Saban said. “I was really impressed with his instinctive way he ran the ball, his change of direction, his first burst out of a cut. He had good hands. He had really good track time, so he had good finishing speed.

“He was our No. 1 guy.”

There was really only one concern.

When Saban was the defensive coordinator at Michigan State, he had a difficult time keeping tabs on receivers Andre Rison and Mark Ingram II (Ingram’s dad).

“The only way I could track them down was I had to Big Mark’s girlfriend’s number, so I would call to find out where he was.”

Fast forward years later, Saban made an in-home visit with the Ingrams to recruit Ingram III. He wasn’t sure if his mother was the same girl he called all those years before.

“So, I sat there for two hours hoping it would never come up,” Saban said. “And, finally his mom started laughing at the end of the home visit and said, ‘I was the girl you used to call.’”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.