Last year, we knew Mark Ingram would be a beast but we had no idea how much so. His coming out party against South Carolina turned out to be the third best day any Alabama running back has ever had.
The 246 yards he racked up that evening against the Gamecocks is only eclipsed in the Alabama Record Book by Bobby Humphrey's 284 against Miss. State in 1986 and Shaun Alexander's 291-yard obliteration of LSU in 1996. And Ingram's 1,658 yard season is the best in Crimson Tide history. Oh, and he picked up an award or two on the way as well.
So as fall practices begin it's time to start considering who is going to have a breakout year this season. We expect Ingram to do well but he's the King of the Hill right now. It's hard to be a "break out" player when you are already on top. And there are plenty of folks on the Alabama roster who seem primed to have a stellar 2010 season.
Don'ta Hightower will return to the lineup after a knee injury abruptly ended his 2009 campaign. Julio Jones has shown flashes of brilliance over the past two seasons but has been hampered by injuries. Trent Richardson's explosiveness has Crimson Tide fans simply agog with anticipation. Marcell Darius became a household name in the BCS National Championship game. Mark Barron led the conference in interceptions last year may actually possess the ability to fly.
So who will it be? And, due to popular demand, the ever-popular "other" returns with the traditional caveat -- you gotta leave the name of your nominee in the comments.