Charles Alexander (running back) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Charles Alexander

Alexander with the Bengals in 1980
No. 40
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1957-07-28) July 28, 1957 (age 67) Galveston, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Galveston (TX) Ball
College:	LSU
NFL Draft:	1979 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12
Career history
Cincinnati Bengals (1979–1985)
Career highlights and awards
SEC Player of the Year (1977) 2× Consensus All-American (1977, 1978) 2× First-team All-SEC (1977, 1978) Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 2,645 Average: 3.5 Rushing touchdowns: 13
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Charles Fred Alexander Jr. (born July 28, 1957) is a former American football player. He was a talented running back who played for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cincinnati Bengals. Before turning professional, he played college football for the LSU Tigers. He was recognized as one of the best college players, earning "All-America" honors twice. Later, he was even inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Bengals picked him as a top player in the 1979 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Charles Alexander was born in Galveston, Texas. He started playing football at Ball High School. In high school, his main job was to block for other players. This meant he didn't get many chances to run with the ball himself. Because of this, he didn't gain many yards during his high school career. Only a few colleges showed interest in recruiting him to play for their teams.

College Football Star at LSU

Alexander decided to play for Louisiana State University (LSU). Their running backs coach, Jerry Stovall, promised him a real chance to become a great running back. Alexander felt it was the right place for him. He joined the LSU Tigers football team in 1975. For his first two seasons, he was a backup player. He still managed to rush for 1,177 yards in those two years.

In 1977, Alexander became the main running back for the Tigers. In one game against Oregon, he scored four touchdowns. He also set a school record by rushing for 237 yards in that game. This amazing performance earned him the "Back of the Week" award. That season, he rushed for 1,686 yards, helping LSU get an 8–3 record. They even went to the Sun Bowl game. In the Sun Bowl, Alexander set two new records. He carried the ball 31 times for 197 yards. Even though he played incredibly well, LSU lost the game.

In his senior year (1978), Alexander's workload changed. The team started to use a more balanced offense. This meant sharing the ball more with quarterback David Woodley. Alexander and Woodley still led the team to another 8–3 record. People started comparing Alexander to NFL star Earl Campbell. They said he had a "unique, slashing running style." He played his last college game in the 1978 Liberty Bowl. He rushed for 133 yards in that game, but LSU lost.

Fans lovingly called him "Alexander the Great" because of his achievements. In both his junior and senior years, he was named an "All-American." This means he was recognized as one of the best college football players in the entire country. He also earned "All-SEC" honors, meaning he was one of the best players in the Southeastern Conference. In 1977, he was even named the SEC Most Valuable Player. During his time at LSU, Alexander set nine SEC records and 27 LSU records. He finished his college career with an amazing 4,035 rushing yards. This was over 1,500 yards more than LSU's previous record holder.

Playing in the NFL with the Bengals

In 1979, the Cincinnati Bengals chose Charles Alexander as the 12th player picked in the 1979 NFL draft. He spent most of his professional career as a backup running back. He played behind Pro Bowl player Pete Johnson. He also shared carries with Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin. His best season was in 1980. He played in all 16 games and rushed for 702 yards.

Alexander played an important part in the Bengals' journey in the 1981 playoffs. In a game against the Buffalo Bills, he rushed for 72 yards. He also scored two touchdowns. He was one of only four Bengals players to score multiple touchdowns in a single playoff game. He rushed for 22 yards and caught three passes in the famous "Freezer Bowl" game. This game was played in extremely cold weather. Alexander said, "Everything on the sidelines froze: the players, the water, the Gatorade, everything." In Super Bowl XVI, he carried the ball five times for 17 yards. He also caught two passes, but the Bengals lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

Alexander finished his NFL career with 2,645 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught 165 passes for 1,130 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Life After Football

After he stopped playing in the NFL, Charles Alexander started a career in the oil and gas business. For a short time, he also worked for LSU's Tiger Athletic Foundation. In 1989, he was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame. This honor recognized his great achievements as an LSU athlete. In 2011, he started his own company called Charlie 4 Strong Seasoning, Inc. This company sells a Cajun seasoning and fish fry called "C'mon Man." In 2012, he received another big honor. He became the eighth former LSU football player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.