Mark Ingram ready to play for Alabama

Alabama Coach Nick Saban says Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram is “ready to go” and will play against Duke on Saturday.

Ingram, a running back, has practiced all week for the top-ranked Crimson Tide after missing the first two games following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Saban said Wednesday he hasn’t decided on Ingram’s role his first game back in a game where the Tide is heavily favored.

Ingram is also facing questions of whether the Heisman winner would start after Trent Richardson averaged 6.6 yards in 32 carries during his absence. Richardson also ranks second in the Southeastern Conference in all-purpose yardage.

“We really don’t look at it as what team he’s on or whether he starts or doesn’t start,” Saban said. “We feel like [Ingram] needs to play in this game to enhance his development in terms of coming back and rehabilitating himself physically and from a confidence standpoint.”

Irish QB couldn’t see

Notre Dame quarterback Dayne Crist finished off an opening scoring drive against Michigan last week even though he couldn’t see out of his right eye.

Crist acknowledged Wednesday he had no vision in the eye and was groggy before capping a 71-yard scoring drive that gave the Irish an early lead. His one-yard touchdown run came seven plays after a hit from a helmet during a 19-yard run led to the blurred vision.

After the touchdown, Crist sat out the rest of the first half. After he was cleared to play when doctors determined it was not a concussion and his vision had cleared, he led the Irish to 17 second-half points in their 28-24 loss.

Crist said Wednesday he’s fully recovered and not worried about being hurt again. He said he is ready for Saturday night’s game at Michigan State (2-0).

“After I initially took the hit, I tried to shake it off. …But then physically I could not see … It was blurry to the point where I couldn’t see anything out of my right eye,” he said

“After that, we just pushed through it and tried to finish the drive. Then when everything was done, it all kind of hit me. That’s when the trainers identified it and wanted to pull me off for a second.”

Troubled players

Suspended running back Jason Douglas is unlikely to play for Pittsburgh again after being charged with striking a pedestrian with his car while driving drunk.

The 19-year-old Douglas was arrested after witnesses told police a motorist hit a pedestrian on Pittsburgh’s South Side about 1:40 a.m. Sunday. Douglas, a redshirt freshman from Opa-Locka, Fla., was discovered by police trying to park a damaged car minutes later and was arrested, according to a police complaint and affidavit. A test showed Douglas had a blood-alcohol content of 0.178%, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08, police said.

South Carolina has kicked tight end Weslye Saunders off the team. “Weslye Saunders is no longer part of our football program,” Athletic Director Eric Hyman said in a statement. “Beyond that, I will have no further comment.”

Saunders, suspended since Aug. 23, had been at the center of the Gamecocks’ NCAA problems this summer. He was questioned by the governing body about potential agent contact regarding a party in South Beach, Fla., this spring.

The Big Sky Conference has reprimanded and suspended Northern Colorado’s Brandon Owens for throwing a punch during his team’s game against Weber State.

Etc.

An NCAA committee will hear an appeal by Georgia receiver A.J. Green to reduce his four-game suspension Friday. … North Carolina has hired former Buffalo Bills assistant Charlie Coiner to replace John Blake, the Tar Heels’ associate head coach who resigned amid an ongoing NCAA investigation. Coach Butch Davis said Wednesday that Coiner will work with the defensive line and special teams.