Mark Ingram won the 2009 Heisman Trophy and will likely be a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Trent Richardson is expected to step up as the starting tailback this season and will be the focal point of an Alabama attack that will begin the 2011 in the top five. Nick Saban has shown at Alabama that he knows his running backs. Read more >

As the clock on the high school basketball regular season ticks down to double-zero, the top boys teams are gaining momentum. Milton, the AJC’s top-ranked team in Class 5A, won twice last week in region games by a gaudy average of 51 points.

Most of the ranked teams have completed playing in national tournaments and “showcases” against out-of-state powerhouses. Because the big boys were back to playing cross-town rivals and region bottom dwellers, the AJC’s newest rankings were relatively flat. All of the No. 1’s in every classification remained on top. Read more >

The craziness in Georgia girls basketball is settling down, just as region and state tournaments are about to commence. Last week, we saw three new teams ascend to the top spot of the AJC’s weekly poll. This week, all five of the No. 1’s remain in the pole position.

Three of the top teams are local schools. Norcross is tops in Class 5A, Chamblee is tops in Class 4A and Wesleyan is still the team to beat in Class A. Chamblee is undefeated this winter, while Norcross and Wesleyan have just two losses apiece. Read more >

In the third edition of the hoops 44, the recent Walton-Wheeler matchup has had a serious impact. Nigel Snipes of the Wildcats fell out of the boys rankings while superstar Walton guards Karl Cochran and Lanerryl Johnson made their respective debuts. Alonzo Nelson-Ododa of Norcross also fell off the list. Read more >