Contributed
(Dec. 18, 2009)

TUSCALOOSA – Alabama sophomore running back Mark Ingram has been named the 2009 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and head football coach Nick Saban was named SEC Coach of the Year, when the Sporting News handed out their yearly football awards on Thursday. In addition, the long-time publication named seven UA players to its All-SEC Football Team.

Joining Ingram on the All-SEC squad were senior cornerback Javier Arenas, sophomore safety Mark Barron, senior nose guard Terrence Cody, senior left guard Mike Johnson, junior linebacker Rolando McClain and senior kicker Leigh Tiffin.

The 2009 SEC Champions led the way with seven All-SEC selections on the 26-man team.  Florida had the second most All-SEC picks with six, followed by Georgia with three and LSU, Mississippi and Tennessee with two each.

Ingram is the first Alabama player in history to win the Heisman Trophy.  He was also the 2009 Associated Press SEC Offensive Player of the Year. The Flint, Mich., native shattered the Alabama single-season rushing record with 1,542 yards this season and 15 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 118.6 yards rushing per game and 6.2 yards per carry while catching 30 passes out of the backfield for 322 yards and three touchdowns. He compiled 1,864 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns this season.  He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year.

Saban finalist for Bryant Coach of the Year Award

For the second straight year, Alabama head football coach Nick Saban is a finalist for the 2009 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award, the American Heart of Association selection committee of Houston, Texas announced Thursday afternoon.

The other finalists include Texas head coach Mack Brown, Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh, Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson, Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, Boise State head coach Chris Petersen and Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin.

In addition to leading their respective teams into the BCS National Championship Game, Saban and Brown are past winners of the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year award. Saban won the award in 2003 after leading the LSU Tigers to a 13-1 overall and the BCS National Championship.  He was a finalist last season after leading Alabama to a 12-2 record and the school’s first SEC Championship Game appearance and BCS bowl berth since 1999.  Brown won the award after leading Texas to the national title in 2005.

Saban was named the 2009 SEC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, SEC Head Coaches and Sporting News, after leading the Crimson Tide to a 13-0 record and berth in the BCS National Championship Game against Texas on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.