Why Vanderbilt’s top RB, an AISD rushing legend, has had ‘Horns down’ all his life

In some ways, this weekend’s home game against Texas football is a dream come true for Vanderbilt running back Sedrick Alexander.

A sophomore, Alexander is an Austinite and the city’s all-time leading rusher. But this isn’t a story about a kid getting to play the hometown team he once rooted for. Nor is this the tale of a local talent with an axe to grind against the school that never extended a scholarship offer.

No, Alexander was raised as an Oklahoma fan. His father cheered for the Sooners, and thus the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. He has long worn the No. 28 as a tribute to Adrian Peterson.

“I always had horns down,” Alexander said this week. “I want to beat them. I always want to beat Texas, even when I was rooting for OU. … I want to beat them and say that I beat them.”

Vanderbilt is resurging ahead of Texas matchup

Not too long ago, a Vanderbilt player talking about beating No. 6 Texas would have sounded preposterous. But these aren’t the Commodores of yesteryear.

Despite being picked to finish last in the Southeastern Conference’s preseason poll and winning just 12 games over the past five seasons, Vanderbilt is 5-2 this year. The Commodores upset then-No. 2 Alabama at home Oct. 5, and they’ve taken a top-10 team in Missouri to double overtime. The No. 25 team in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and Associated Press poll, Vanderbilt is ranked for the first time since the 2013 season.

With one more victory, Vanderbilt will qualify for its first bowl game since 2018. Alexander was an eighth-grader at Pflugerville’s Kelly Lane Middle School when the Commodores reached that year’s Texas Bowl.

But if you ask Alexander, he saw this success coming when he signed with Vanderbilt during the 2023 recruiting cycle. While starring at LBJ High, Alexander was rated as a three-star prospect. He received offers from Texas State and UTSA but wanted to experience life outside of Central Texas. Iowa State and the service academies were interested, but Vanderbilt presented an opportunity to play in the SEC. The educational experience at Vanderbilt was also something that Alexander said he did not want to pass up.

Additionally, Alexander believed in Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea. A former Vanderbilt fullback, Lea was hired away from his position as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator after the 2020 season.

“I came here for stuff like this to happen,” Alexander said. “I believe in coach Lea and his vision and what he asks of this team, and I’m just excited to be here with him and enjoy the moment while I’m here.”

Alexander’s future, and present, at Vanderbilt appears to be bright

As for what is working at Vanderbilt this season, Alexander credits the preparation done during the week in meetings and practices. Having an offense that leads the SEC in time of possession and has turned over the football just twice this season also helps. Vanderbilt has been led offensively by quarterback Diego Pavia, a graduate transfer from New Mexico State, and Alexander has proven to be a suitable sidekick.

The 5-foot-9, 200-pound Alexander, who celebrates his 20th birthday Friday, has rushed 95 times for 380 yards. He’s also caught 13 passes. Two of his team-high six touchdowns were scored in Vanderbilt’s 40-35 win over Alabama, and Alexander collided with Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell on one of those scores, bullying the 244-pound linebacker into the end zone.

“He’s kind of been a bright spot for us in just how he conducts his business,” Lea said. “The person he is first is where I’d focus. He’s got a great family, got a great spirit. Like all young people, he’s growing into himself.

“We are really excited about his skill set. I think a lot of that has surfaced this year. He’s added physical components to his game that I think make him a really well-rounded back. It’s just his second year, so there’s so many great things ahead for him and we’re glad he’s here.”

A UT defense that ranks 18th nationally against the run at 104.3 yards per game has taken note of Alexander. Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns’ fourth-year coach, described Alexander this week as a “heck of a running back.” Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron said that “he’s a tough cat.”

“Game recognizes game,” Texas safety Michael Taaffe said. “When you’re a good Austin guy, it’s cool because not a lot of talent comes out of Austin as far as recruiting. I know there’s a lot of talent in Austin, but we don’t always get the recognition that we deserve.”

Alexander joins Texas trio among college football’s Austin-area standouts

Alexander, who was listed as “questionable” with an undisclosed injury on Vanderbilt’s first availability report of the week, has a personal relationship with several Longhorns who also grew up in the Austin area. He has trained with Taaffe, who attended Westlake. Barron, who went to Pflugerville Connally, said that he shared some BBQ and trash talk with Alexander’s father before the season started.

Alexander was also high school teammates with UT safety Andrew Mukuba, who has a “questionable” designation for this weekend’s game because of a knee injury. Texas director of high school relations Jahmal Fenner coached both players at LBJ. While at LBJ, Alexander set the Austin ISD career rushing record and led the Jaguars to the Class 4A, Division I championship game in 2021.

Alexander is now among those representing the Austin-area football scene on the stage that is college football. Barron, Mukuba and Taaffe all start for Texas, and Barron and Mukuba are responsible for half of UT’s 10 interceptions. Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks leads the Big 12 with his 134.0 rushing yards per game while fellow Manor product Quinten Joyner is averaging 9.1 yards per carry at USC. Westlake’s alumni association also includes the quarterback with the second-most touchdown passes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (Clemson’s Cade Klubnik) and Notre Dame’s second-leading receiver (Jaden Greathouse).

“I’m looking at film each and every day, and I’m like, dang, there’s really three people (in the Texas secondary),” Alexander said. “To see everybody that’s spread out throughout the country at different universities just representing the 512, that is something that I look forward to the rest of my years and with the younger generation.”