The second in a series profiling newcomers to the University of Arkansas football team.
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Discipline, work ethic and a competitive attitude are some qualities needed to be successful in football and for University of Arkansas freshman linebacker Alex Sanford Jr., his upbringing and first sport gave him those traits.
His parents — Alex Sr. and Jennifer — involved Sanford and his siblings Alayna (21) and Andrew (17) in an after-school program called Greater Impact that tutors, helps feed and provides activities for kids in and around their hometown.
His parent’s after-school program for second through sixth grades also taught discipline through karate.
“I guess you can call it the first sport I ever did,” said Sanford, who also instructed youth karate. “It translates to football because in karate you have to work both hands. You have to work each limb and when it comes to football you have to use your hands and feet, so it helps your footwork, coming off blocks, pushing to get off the blocker.”
Sanford, 6-1, 230 pounds, of Oxford, Miss., combined his physical ability along with the traits learned from karate to earn scholarship offers to play football at Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Troy and others before signing with the Hogs.
Oxford defensive coordinator Stan Robertson said Sanford’s parents prepared him for life.
“They kept him on the right path off the field,” Robertson said. “It’s all tied together. Sometimes we get kids that are great players but they don’t have that same path off the field, and his parents have done a great job.”
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Sanford, who has been a drummer since age 10 at Kingdom Center Church, where his father is the pastor, is a purple belt in karate while his father and an uncle are third-degree black belts. Two other uncles are second-degree black belts, while his grandfather is a fifth degree.
Martial arts also taught him mental toughness, Sanford said.
“Karate is going to teach you discipline more than anything,” Sanford said. “That’s our number one focus. Do what you’re supposed to do, versus what you want to do.
“Discipline has really helped me as an athlete because for example, if you don’t have discipline, you’re going to jump offsides. If you don’t have discipline, you’re going to argue with your coach.”
Sanford’s competitive nature bleeds over to the kids in his parent’s after-school program.
“When I’m with the kids, I really focus on competing because that’s the number one focus,” Sanford said. “When you teach competition to the kids, it builds a work ethic. You have to work real hard to compete and you have to compete to win.”
He recorded 109 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 7 quarterback hurries, 9 sacks, 2 recovered fumbles, 3 forced fumbles and 1 pass breakup as a senior. He was selected to play in the U.S. Army All American game at Frisco, Texas, and the Alabama-Mississippi All Star game.
A consensus 3-star prospect, he also had 131 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 2 recovered fumbles and 2 blocked punts as a junior. One of two high school linebacker signees in Arkansas’ 2023 class, Sanford has the necessary tools to succeed for the Hogs.
“At the next level, everybody is a great athlete so you have to bring something else to the table,” Robertson said. “Work ethic, field time, preparation. the mental aspect, and I think Alex can do that. He’s done it for us, so I definitely would think it would carry over.”
Razorback defensive coordinator Travis Williams said he has been impressed with Sanford since he reported to Fayetteville for the first summer school session.
“You see him moving around. We do different things in the weight room and different drills, [and] you can see the movement skills that he has,” Williams said. “He has a bright future. We don’t have any pads on, but you can see he moves well in drills, so very, very pleased where he’s at right now.”
Williams also praised Sanford’s attitude and his parents for his upbringing.
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“Ever since he’s been here, he’s had a smile on his face,” Williams said. “Very, very bright young man. He sent me a text the other day and told me how much he loved it here and happy he’s here. Those are the messages you want to get so once a kid comes here, you want it to be just like it was when he came on his visit. For him to say that, that made me feel good as a coach.”
Sanford credits his family structure for who is today.
“My family is pretty much like my anchor,” Sanford said. “My dad and my brother are my best friends. My brother and dad really help me keep that discipline. My momma, she gives the love in the family, she gives me that gentle part when I need to. My sis, she’s like my dad. She gives me that aggressive part.”
Sanford at a glance
CLASS Freshman
POSITION Linebacker
AGE 19 (born April 27, 2004)
HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-1, 230 pounds
HOMETOWN Oxford, Miss.
HIGH SCHOOL Oxford
NOTEWORTHY Team captain as a senior. … Consensus 3-star recruit, ESPN’s No. 35 inside linebacker in the nation and No. 20 prospect in Mississippi. … Made official visits to Arkansas and Auburn. Chose Hogs over scholarship offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Memphis and others.
