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by R.J. Marse
LSU Sports Information
Charles Alexander‘s handshake is electric.
His enormous grip links you to a power and desire that drives LSU’s talent-laden defensive line. Sizing you up through his eyes, his desire elicits the only possible description of the man.
This guy really wants to play football.
A closer look at Alexander’s career explains why. He missed all but the first three games of the Tigers’ national championship run a year ago and played in only the season opener at Arizona State in 2005, missing the opportunity to play in Tiger Stadium during an emotionally-charged season after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged the Louisiana coastline and made LSU football the only escape from tragedy for fans across the state. His outlook for 2008 is simple.
“Basically,” he says, “I’ve got unfinished business and I’ve got to make things work this year.”
Alexander and fellow defensive tackle Marlon Favorite are just two of the many talented players LSU has put on the field this season to wreak havoc in opposing backfields, but it’s what makes them similar that sets them apart.
Both are Louisiana natives; home grown talent that has helped the Tigers to three consecutive 11-win seasons during their careers.
Favorite came to LSU in 2004 from West Jefferson High School outside of New Orleans as one of the top defensive tackle recruits in the country. His jovial nature and never ending hospitality are uniquely New Orleanian. Known as “Big Fav” to teammates and fans of his musical career, he greets everyone he meets with a smile.
“He is the most positive person that I’ve ever come across,” says Alexander. “He’s just an unbelievable guy.”
Alexander arrived on campus the same year, a highly-recruited defensive tackle prospect from Breaux Bridge, La. who attended the same high school as former LSU defensive backs Jesse Daniels and Jonathan Zenon. He, along with Favorite, took a red shirt during his freshman season and both now enter their fifth and final season in purple and gold.
“It has definitely been a blessing in the past four or five years — being a part of this program, growing into the leader that I am today and seeing the success that we’ve had here at LSU,” says Favorite. “It’s a great experience; something I can picture telling my kids years from now.”
Looking back, both players agree that the decision to come to LSU wasn’t a difficult one to make.
“LSU was always my dream,” says Alexander. “If you’re a great football player in the state of Louisiana, why not play for your home state? Play for the people that love you and know you. You can’t ask for anything better than what we have here at LSU.”
“If I could do it all over again,” he says. “I would make the same choice.”
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play in this program,” says Favorite. “To be able to play in front of your own state and its people is a true blessing. I’m definitely blessed to have been able to play for a national championship team and win it in my hometown for my home school.”
Favorite takes it one step further.
“I came here to receive a level of maturity and education at a program, and school, like this, and to be able to meet the people I’ve met through the program has been great,” he says.
Each player’s years as a Tiger, while different, brought them closer together both on and off the field. Favorite and Alexander are close friends, in no small part because of the injuries Alexander has suffered during his career in Baton Rouge.
“Through my hard times here, he was always there for me. I can’t ask for a better friend and teammate than Marlon Favorite,” says Alexander.
The respect is mutual. Favorite lauds Alexander for his discipline in coming back from injuries and says his ability to stay focused and help his teammates by critiquing their play on the sidelines during games is remarkable.
“It was like he was on the field,” says Favorite.
In a way, he was. Nearly the entire defensive line on the 2007 team wrote Alexander’s number 91 on their wristbands when their teammate was physically unable to join them against an opponent.
Though injured through the end of last season, Alexander’s talent on the field is undeniable.
“It dates back to earlier in my career. When I was younger, I could contribute. I made plays,” says Alexander. “When I’m healthy, I’m just going out there to play my heart out.”
As he speaks, Alexander’s excitement is palpable; his bayou syllables rolling like fiddle notes at a fais do-do.
“Once I’m healthy,” he says, “I’m full tilt all the way.”
Favorite already earned his undergraduate degree in May, allowing more time for him to pursue his interests, football and non-football related.
“I had a chance to take some piano classes this summer and I’m taking a jazz appreciation class this semester,” he says. “My awareness and knowledge of game film has just grown a great deal now that I have more time to study it. I spend a lot of time working on the technical things to prepare myself for this year, and possibly the next level.”
Just a step behind Favorite academically, Alexander plans on graduating and says that the sky is the limit for his on-field performance this season.
“I’ll take one play to the max,” he says, “And then do it again, every play.”