Head football coach, Frank killingsworth presents plaque to Ashley Ingram as he is inducted into the Sport Hall of Fame. Before a crowded cafeteria, Head Football Coach and Middle School Principal Frank Killingsworth introduced a young man who is no stranger to Miller County or football. This year’s recipient for the Miller County Hall of Fame is Ashley Ingram, son of Alan and Sue Ingram. Ashley is a 1991 graduate of MCHS, where he lettered in both football and baseball. He was cocaptain of the 1990, 10-2 team coached by Head Coach Ronnie McNease. Following his senior season, Ingram was selected All Southwest Georgia and participated in the Georgia North-South All Star Game.

The native of Iron City went on to graduate in 1996 from the University of North Alabama, where he was a four-year letterman and co-captain of the 1995 team on the offensive line. He helped his team win Division II titles in 1993, 1994, and 1995. He entered the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant, first at North Alabama in 1997, then at Temple University in 1998. After spending a year at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, he became the offensive line coach at the University of West Alabama in 1999.

Ashley then served as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Rhode Island. During his tenure at Rhode Island, the Rams led the Atlantic 10 in rushing five of his six seasons and finished second in the nation in rushing yards in 2003, averaging 333.8 yards per contest. From Rhode Island, Ashley went to Bucknell, where he served as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for two seasons. In his first year at Bucknell, the Bisons won five more games than the previous season. This was the biggest turn-around in the nation.

Coach Ingram is in his third year at the Naval Academy coaching the offensive line. Navy has compiled a record of 18-9 in his two years in Annapolis, winning two Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies, earning two bowl bids, winning a bowl game (the Texas Bowl) and beating Notre Dame in South Bend.

The 2009 season was one to remember as the Mids tied a school record for wins with 10, won a school-record seventh-consecutive one Commander- In-Chief’s

Trophy, appeared in a school-record seventhconsecutive bowl game and ran their winning streak against the other two service academies to an amazing 15 straight games. The Mids capped the season off with a 35-13 rout of Missouri in the Texas Bowl. The offense finished fourth in the country in rushing, averaging 280.5 yards per game.

The Mids posted an 8-5 record in 2008 and participated in the Eagle Bank Bowl. Also the Mids won the Commander In-Chief’s Trophy, thanks to a 33-27 victory over Air Force and a 34-0 win over Army. Other landmark wins during the 2008 season included a 24-17 victory over 16th ranked Wake Forest, which was Navy’s first win over a team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 since 1985 as well as Navy’s victory the previous week over Rutgers. It was the first time since 1981 that Navy beat teams currently in the BCS in back-to-back weeks. Navy also defeated a program-record four bowl teams.

Ingram and his wife, Jennifer, are parents of a daughter, Laura (2). They currently reside in Annapolis, Maryland. A standing ovation was given as Coach Ashley Ingram approached the podium.

Coach Ingram thanked everyone for this distinguished honor and talked about his life growing up in Iron City and Colquitt. “I was lucky to play under Coach Ronnie McNease, my dad, Alan Ingram, play with my older brother Robert Ingram, and have as a principal, Mr. David Richardson. There is so much that I could say, and I am very grateful for this honor,” stated Coach Ingram. The great John Paul Jones once said, “Those who do not take risks do not win,” stated Ingram.

On hand to see Coach Ashley Ingram receive this honor were his parents, Coach Alan and Sue Ingram, brother, Robert Ingram, sister, Christy Ingram and a host of family and friends.