By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – New Indiana State secondary coach Gerald Alexander has already become a staple at ISU training camp, flying around with his own cleats on as one of the most vocal people on the field – player or coach.
Alexander has a wealth of experience following four years as a safety at Boise State and five years in the NFL – which includes a starring role in one of the best college football games ever played: the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, when the Broncos completed an improbable upset over Oklahoma
Below is a Q&A with the new Sycamore coach about everything from his playing career to his newest job here in Terre Haute.
Q: How are you liking Indiana State so far?
“I love it. I'm passionate about football. To be able to come out here and give instruction and to be able to have my own room and my own group of guys, and to be able to develop a philosophy and a culture and giving those guys instructions to be able to make plays, it's awesome and I love it.”
Q: You only started recently, but how is your relationship with the Sycamore secondary going?
“It's good. I think a lot of guys feel my passion and feel my energy. I hope I've done a great job at this point in being detailed with my teaching. I think those guys are very coachable, they're very receptive to the information and they're hungry. They want to be successful, and I just want to do the things that will help them be successful on Saturdays.”
Q: You inherited a stellar secondary with the likes of Travis Starks and others – how do you like what you've seen so far?
“It's a work in progress. There are different philosophies and a lot of detail within the coverage schemes and the techniques. As long as we continue to get one percent better every day then we're doing our job as coaches and as players. We have no time to regress because Butler will be here before you know it.”
Q: There was an incident at practice on Thursday involving some “extracurricular” activities. Coach Sanford had you gather the defense up and explain what practice is like in the NFL. What did you say to them?
“I told those guys about practicing like a professional: staying up, taking care of each other, not taking cheap shots, not throwing guys on the ground, because that is how injuries happen. Those guys have to understand that even though we're competing against one another, that ultimately we're wearing the same color on Saturdays. We need everybody to be able to do the things we want to accomplish this season, and so guys just have to practice smarter as we compete.”
Q: What are your goals for this training camp and beyond?
“I'm trying to institute a culture of greatness. I want to be very detailed in teaching so we can be very detailed in our alignment and assignment. The key for me – and for us defensively as a team – is being assignment-perfect and fundamentally sound. I think that's our goal in training camp and for when we get into the season that everybody knows and understands their responsibilities and that all 11 men on the field are playing as one. If we can get into our season understanding that, we're going to be able to do some special things this season.”
Q: What was your experience like playing in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl?
“It was unbelievable. When you're caught up in the moment you don't necessarily realize how significant of a moment it is. Me being a 21-year-old kid playing in one of the greatest college football games to ever be played, you don't really realize that at the time. My biggest memory of it, as crazy as the game was, was when (Jared) Zabransky threw that interception in the fourth quarter. I was almost in tears because I felt like everything that we had accomplished in my senior year and building up to that moment that it just couldn't end like that. Ultimately, it's about the attitude we had and hopefully the attitude that we can establish here. We're going to compete regardless of the circumstance. As long as we keep firing away no matter what the circumstance is and remain competitive, that shows what kind of competitor you are and how resilient you are no matter how bad you feel throughout the game, because it's never over till it's over.”
Q: What was your five years in the NFL like?
“The experience was awesome. It was a childhood dream of mine. Sometimes I look at the NFL and realize, 'Wow, I was really there.' I had the opportunity to play at the highest level, and I'm definitely appreciative of that opportunity and that experience. There's nothing like playing on Sundays. There are a lot of things I learned along the way, and ultimately it's molded me as a coach. I was able to learn from great teachers. They've molded me and molded my coaching philosophy going forward. That's definitely something that I'm bringing to this team with somewhat of an attitude and an energy, and hopefully it translates to wins on Saturdays.”
Q: Why do you still wear cleats to every practice?
“I wear cleats every day just because you never know when you have to be an example. I want those guys to feel my energy because nothing great has ever been done without great energy. As long as they know that and we can practice like that, we're going to be in a position to do something special.”
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