Charles Alexander runs straight into the history books, cementing his legacy as one of the most unstoppable offensive forces to ever wear an LSU uniform.
Football Bio
July 28, 1957 – Charles Alexander, a halfback out of LSU, was born.
In 2012, the College Football Hall of Fame inducted him into their ranks, and what a great player Charles Alexander was for Louisiana State University, per FootballFoundation.com.
The Louisiana Sports Net site adds some interesting stories about Charles.
“Alexander the Great” left an indelible mark on LSU football as a two-time consensus All-American and a 1978 Heisman Trophy finalist. His legendary 1977 campaign, where he racked up 1,686 rushing yards, stood as the school’s single-season record for nearly four decades before Leonard Fournette finally surpassed it.
He was just as dominant in the postseason, taking home MVP honors at the 1977 Sun Bowl after grinding out 197 yards on 31 carries—a performance that later earned him a spot on the game’s 75th Anniversary Team.
By the time he hung up his purple and gold jersey, Alexander had shattered 27 school records and 9 SEC records. Remarkably, he accomplished all of this in a much shorter window than modern players: freshmen were ineligible for the varsity squad, and bowl game statistics didn’t count toward official totals back then. He was rightfully inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
At a recent gathering, those glory days were brought back to life as former teammates shared their favorite stories:
- The Indiana Heartbreak: Decades later, several linemen are still bitter over a narrow 24-21 loss to Indiana in 1977. Instead of simply handing the ball to their powerhouse running back to run out the clock, the team tried a trick reverse that failed. They had to punt, allowing Indiana to score the game-winner. It goes to show that fans and players griping about bad play-calling is a timeless football tradition.
- The Gunshot Collision: Known for his bruising, highly physical running style, Alexander once hit a teammate so hard during a Tiger Stadium practice that the impact echoed like a gunshot. The collision actually split Alexander’s helmet entirely in half, from the facemask straight to the back. After seeing that, Coach Charles McClendon gave him the rest of the day off.
Alexander commands respect decades after his final college snap, proving why Tiger fans still call him “Alexander the Great.” He holds rushing records that stand the test of time, leaving an unforgettable mark on the Southeastern Conference and securing his place among college football’s elite.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2012.
- 2× Consensus First-Team All-American: 1977, 1978.
- SEC Most Valuable Player: 1977.
- 2× First-Team All-SEC: 1977, 1978.
- Heisman Trophy Finalist: Finished 9th in the 1977 voting and 5th in the 1978 voting.
- LSU Rushing Records: Holds the school records for most rushing attempts in a single game (43), most rushing yards in a single season (1,686 yards in 1977), and most rushing yards per game in a season (153.3).
- NFL First Round Pick: Selected 12th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1979 NFL Draft.
- Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1993.
- LSU Athletic Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1989.
- AFC Champion: Played in Super Bowl XVI with the Cincinnati Bengals.
