Robert Alexander (American football) facts for kids

Robert Alan Alexander (born April 21, 1958 – died June 7, 2022) was an American football running back. He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Later, he played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams.

Playing Football in College

Robert Alexander started his football journey at South Charleston High School. In his final year there, he was named the national high school player of the year by Parade Magazine.

After high school, Robert chose to play for West Virginia. He picked West Virginia over other big schools like USC, Penn State, Ohio State, and Maryland.

Freshman Year Success

In his first year at West Virginia, Robert shared playing time with other running backs. He ran for 426 yards and scored one touchdown.

Sophomore and Junior Seasons

During his second year in 1978, Robert continued to share playing time. He still managed to run for 310 yards, which was the third-highest on his team.

In 1979, his junior year, Robert became the main starting running back. This was a great season for him. He ran for 656 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Senior Year and Records

Robert's best season came in 1980, his final year of college. He ran for an amazing 1,064 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. This was the most yards he had ever gained in a single season.

At that time, his 1,064 yards was the fourth-highest single-season total in West Virginia Mountaineer history. When he finished college, Robert was ranked second all-time in career rushing yards for the school.

Today, Robert Alexander is still ranked among the top players. He is 10th on the Mountaineers' all-time list for rushing yards, with a total of 2,474 yards.

Playing Football Professionally

After college, Robert Alexander was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1981 NFL Draft. He played for the Rams for two seasons.

His Passing

Robert Alexander passed away on June 7, 2022. He was found at his home in St. Albans, West Virginia.