To see a video of Charles Alexander, click here.
Senior defensive tackle Charles Alexander was living his dream 13 months ago — starting on the defensive line for LSU.But while going through preparations in practice for the Tigers’ fourth game of the season against South Carolina, the Breaux Bridge native’s dream season came to an abrupt end.”When they told me I had torn my ACL, I was devastated, just absolutely crushed,” Alexander said. “But things happen for a reason. I just had to realize that and start focusing on coming back.”With Alexander in the lineup, LSU won each of its first three games by more than 40 points, with the Tigers giving up just seven total points in those three games.LSU was especially dominant stopping the rush, allowing just 30 rushing yards per game with Alexander in the lineup.But the LSU rush defense was never the same without the 6-foot-3-inch, 310-pound Alexander, allowing 126 rushing yards per game the rest of the season.LSU co-defensive coordinator Doug Mallory said though most people remember All-American Glenn Dorsey’s knee injury against Auburn, Alexander’s injury had an equal impact on the defense.”We got off to a great start at the beginning of the year,” Mallory said. “You can’t downplay the loss of Charles Alexander. He was playing extremely well at the beginning of the season.”With his season over, Alexander played the role of cheerleader for his teammates, a role he said was one of the most difficult of his life.”I had to settle down and know that I could still help out the team even if I was not going to be able to be on the field,” he said.After several months of rehab, Alexander is back on the practice field for the Tigers and is projected to be a starter on LSU’s front four.Senior Kirston Pittman is entering his sixth season at LSU after being granted a medical redshirt following this past season.Pittman missed two seasons with an Achilles tendon tear and a cyst on his ankle, respectively.The Reserve native said he gave Alexander advice this offseason on how to stay motivated after being away from the field for nearly a year.”I just told him to keep striving and to not give up,” Pittman said. “He needs to just keep working hard, and everything will take care of itself. Charles is a strong guy who’s strong mentally, so I know he will bounce back. He just needs to listen to the trainers and know they will direct you in the right direction.”Alexander has had to follow Pittman’s advice early in summer practices, as he has been sidelined with a soft tissue injury.”It’s frustrating to be cleared from one injury and then to have another small one now,” he said on Aug 8. “But it’s the type of thing that could have become major if I tried to push it, so I just have to be patient and let myself heal before the season.”   It is unknown whether Alexander will be able to steer the Tigers to the same success they had in the first three games of the 2007 season. But Alexander said he is ready for his final season as an LSU player. “I had the game taken from me in the strangest way and at the time when I’d have least expected it,” he said. “This is my last year, and I will give everything I’ve got and leave everything on the field each Saturday.”—-Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]