Some players leave memories. Others leave legacies. But a rare few become immortal.

Before Kevin Faulk, Leonard Fournette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire carried the mantle of Tiger running backs, there was Charles Alexander, the bruising tailback from Galveston, Texas, who put LSU football on his shoulders in the late 1970s. Now, more than four decades later, his name and jersey number 4 will forever be etched into Tiger Stadium history.

On September 13, 2025, at halftime of LSU’s SEC battle against Florida, Alexander will join Billy Cannon, Tommy Casanova and Jerry Stovall as the fourth LSU football player to have his jersey retired.

“I was grateful and humbled to receive this honor,” Alexander said. “I wasn’t a big-time recruit. I was recruited for my potential coming out of Galveston. When I first got to LSU, I wasn’t sure if I was even a legitimate college running back. But over time, I started believing in myself. This moment makes all of that worthwhile.”

Born and raised in Galveston, Alexander wasn’t the kind of prospect plastered across recruiting headlines. Instead, what he had was raw talent, strength and speed. Alexander also found success on the track, taking Texas state titles in both the 100 and 200-meter races.

Stovall, then an LSU assistant coach, recognized that potential early.

“Coach Stovall saw I was a big kid who could run,” Alexander recalled. “On National Signing Day, he was parked in front of my house before daybreak. If he hadn’t been there, I don’t think I would have gone to LSU.”

When Alexander arrived in Baton Rouge in 1975, he wasn’t yet a household name. In fact, he originally asked for jersey number 20 but quickly learned it had been worn by Cannon and was already retired. Instead, he settled on number 4.

His freshman year was humbling. Alexander was a backup, earning limited touches and averaging just 2.8 yards per carry.

“When I first got to LSU, I was behind Terry Robiskie, and I didn’t know if I belonged,” Alexander said. “I had to learn patience, learn to work.”

By his sophomore year, things started to turn. Given more opportunities, Alexander responded with 5.7 yards per carry, a leap that gave him confidence and made him believe he could truly excel at the college level.

“I felt like I had a good sophomore year,” he said. “That’s when I started believing in myself and thinking I was a legitimate college running back.”

By his junior season in 1977, Alexander had become LSU’s featured back, and he exploded onto the national stage. On October 22 against Oregon, he rumbled for 237 rushing yards, then an LSU record, and scored four touchdowns, finishing with 254 yards of total offense. The effort still ranks ninth in school history for single-game rushing yards.

Just a month later, he displayed another impressive performance by carrying the ball 43 times for 231 yards in a 66-7 rout of Wyoming. Defenses knew Alexander was coming. They just couldn’t stop him.

By season’s end, Alexander had firmly established himself as one of the best backs in the country, finishing as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

In 1978, Alexander’s senior year, he cemented his place among LSU’s all-time greats. He finished as a Heisman finalist once again, joining Cannon as one of only two LSU players at the time to achieve multiple Top 10 Heisman finishes.

When asked about his proudest moment, Alexander pointed to a bout against Ole Miss in his senior season.

“Because of my junior year, I came in with a target on my back,” Alexander said. “Ole Miss shut me down the year before, stacked the box with nine or 10 guys. But in 1978, in Baton Rouge, I had one of my favorite runs, scored three touchdowns, and we had some trick plays that worked. That game was a lot of fun for me.”

Through it all, Alexander never forgot those who helped pave the way. Chief among them:  Stovall and the LSU offensive line, nicknamed the “Root Hogs.”

“Coach Stovall was a strong Christian man who taught us life lessons,” Alexander said. “As a freshman, he made us sit down and write 10-15 things we wanted to do at LSU, both on and off the field, as well as life after football. He told me, ‘You’re not out there by yourself. Always give your offensive line credit.’ And I always did.”

The names of those linemen, the late Chris Rich, Craig Duhe, Jay Whitley, William Johnson, and Robert Dugas, as well as tight end Clif Lane and fullback Kelly Simmons, remain etched in Alexander’s memory.

Alexander’s time at LSU was more than just about football; it was about life lessons that carried him well beyond the field.

“I was raised by my grandparents, and I was taught that nothing was given and everything was earned,” Alexander explained. “From LSU, I learned that to be successful, you have to enjoy what you do, be consistent, and work hard. That mindset shaped everything I did after football.”

The Galveston native concluded his LSU career holding 27 school records. He rushed for 4,035 yards – becoming the first 4,000-yard rusher in SEC history – and 40 touchdowns, and he ranks No. 3 in LSU history in both career rushing yards and touchdowns. He was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

Drafted 12th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1979, Alexander went on to a seven-year NFL career, including an appearance in Super Bowl XVI. Yet even with professional success, he has always cherished the impact LSU had on his life.

When Alexander first received the call about his jersey being retired, he was blindsided.

“When the phone rang, I had zero idea what it was about,” he said. “The call knocked me off my feet. I truly did not expect it. The first people I told were my daughters, and then I started reminiscing about the stories, the hard work, and how grateful I was that it finally happened.”

Tiger fans who filled Tiger Stadium in the late 1970s still talk about watching Alexander run. For him, that bond is unbreakable.

“Playing in Tiger Stadium is incomparable to anywhere else,” Alexander said. “I played all over the country, even in the NFL with the Bengals, but nothing compares. Back then, it was about 70,000 fans, and by my senior year, it expanded to 80,000. That place is electric. If you can’t get hyped to play in that stadium, something’s wrong with you.”

It’s that passion from the fans that makes the jersey retirement so meaningful.

“The fans will always remember me,” Alexander said. “It’s an awesome feeling. As long as Tiger Stadium is there, that number will be up there. It’s one of the biggest honors a player can get.”

Alexander becomes the 15th LSU athlete across all sports to receive the honor, and just the fourth football player, alongside Cannon, Casanova, and Stovall.

“It is exciting to know that you’re one of four to have your jersey retired in the history of LSU football,” Alexander said. “I cannot wait to see the number up there. It is a huge deal to my family and friends, and I can’t wait for that moment to come.”

Some players leave memories. Others leave legacies. On September 13, Charles Alexander’s name and number will leave both, forever.