Terrence Alexander learning the ins and outs of a third position
BATON ROUGE, La. — Terrence Alexander owns an undergraduate degree from Stanford, yet he’s still perplexed by the ins and outs of Dave Aranda’s defense.
Alexander, a graduate transfer who returned home to Louisiana this summer to bolster LSU’s depth in the secondary, has taken snaps at cornerback, in the nickel and at safety this season. With John Battle slated to miss the first half of the Louisiana Tech game due to a targeting call late at Auburn, Alexander is one of a handful of contenders in contention to start at free safety on Saturday.
Alexander and fellow nickel Kary Vincent Jr. both practiced with the safeties during the early portion of practice this week. As did Todd Harris and Eric Monroe, who are both back from injury. Aranda, defensive backs coach Corey Raymond and first-year safeties coach Bill Busch have not been shy about plugging defensive backs in at multiple spots on the field this season, so if it’s safety this week, it’s more of the norm for the well-versed defensive back with a Cardinal education.
“It’s definitely been different, but I’ve been adjusting to it. The more reps I get, the more comfortable I get,” Alexander explained.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to be covering No. 2s (at nickel). You have to get adjusted to motions and have to understand the entire defense. Sometimes, you slide back. It’s a part of the defense … We all help. If they ask us to play safety, nickel or corner, we do what we can to get on the field. The situation could change, but for now, we’re safeties, but that could change throughout the season.”
Should Alexander get the nod against Tech, it’ll be his third start in four games at his third different position. The veteran started at cornerback in the opener against Miami, then started at nickel versus Southeastern in Tiger Stadium earlier this month.
Alexander began taking reps with the safeties at practice prior to the Miami game, which marked his first time ever lining up there. That dates back to his time at John Curtis from 2011-2014 and Stanford from 2014-2017. He’s always been a cornerback or a nickel, but upon his Louisiana homecoming, he was tasked with learning another position.
“This is for sure new to me,” he laughed, “but in the long run, it helps everyone to say you’re a defensive back instead of just one position … I don’t think they (opposing offenses) know where any of us are playing at this point. A corner can slide back to safety, or a safety can slide to corner. It’s about being more versatile, having defensive backs who know all the positions instead of one.
“It’s a lot, but as a defensive unit, we help each other. It’s getting used to a new culture, the standards, and at this point you get it done and can’t make any excuses. You learn something, lock it in and get it done. The defensive backs are a helpful group. Everyone is on the same page helping each other out.”
Alexander is keeping an open ear throughout the process.
The newly minted safety described taking angles to tackle as the biggest adjustment. He also suggested anticipation wide receiver breaks is a bit challenging.
Every day, however, Alexander looks forward to a fresh start at practice regardless of where he lines up. He has a Stanford education, but taking a one-year course in Aranda’s 3-4 defense may be even more arduous.
“It’s a lot, but I find ways to manage either way,” he smiled. “You come out to practice and have good plays or bad plays. You learn from it and wipe it away. Then, you come out the next day and do it all over again. Some people take notes, take mental notes, watch film. It’s about trying to get 1 percent or 2 percent better every day.”
Alexander seems 100-percent devoted to the cause ahead of Saturday’s potential start at a third position.