Brandon Alexander taking next step in football career at YSU

After starting at quarterback for three years during his high school career, former Alliance standout Brandon Alexander was reduced to a spectator's role after being red-shirted by Youngstown State University during his first year last fall.

"I was injured, which didn't help, but I got to learn a lot and I'm still learning," he said. "It's a learning process."

During a recent interview, Alexander said that he returned to the field for the annual intra-squad game last spring a more refined player than he was when he played for the Aviators from 2018 through 2020.

"My footwork has improved, I've learned how to read defenses better, my progressions have gotten better and I've learned how to get rid of the football better," he added.

Alexander, who stands 6-2 and weighs 210 pounds, was a dual-threat quarterback at Alliance during his three seasons, passing for 3,443 yards and 28 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,607 yards and adding 20 six-pointers.

Youngstown State's offensive scheme has helped Alexander's current transition.

"We run a shotgun offense with the quarterback having the option of either running the ball or passing," he added. "It's comparable to what we did in high school, although we throw more intermediate routes."

In his first competitive game against the Youngstown State defense, Alexander made some plays with his feet, amassing 11 and 12 yards on two running plays. His running ability, which convinced then-Alliance head coach Seth Whiting to give him the starting job as a sophomore, has made an impression on the offensive coaching staff, although there are two competitors with more college playing time.

"They put in some Wildcat packages for me," Alexander added.

Two veteran quarterbacks, including one who played at a former Eastern Buckeye Conference rival, return alongside Alexander at Youngstown State. Sophomore Demeatric Crenshaw, who directed Pickerington Central to Division I state playoff championships in 2017 and 2019, is back for his sophomore season. Red-shirt junior Mitch Davidson, who helped lead Salem to the 2017 Division IV playoffs, saw action in two games last fall. Crenshaw, whose physical frame (6-1, 220) is similar to Alexander's, was 97-of-156 passing (62 percent) for 791 yards, with six touchdowns and five interceptions in 2021.

"Demeatric and I became close through our Big Brother System," Alexander said. "He's given me great advice, telling me to relax and take my time. We're similar (quarterback types), but we're also different. He's faster, but I'm quicker."

Davidson, more of a classic drop-back passer, but with the mobility to escape onrushing defenders, played two games for Youngstown State last fall and was 16-of-29 (55 percent) for 277 yards with four touchdowns.

Alexander, who was a high school freshman when Davidson was a senior, watched Alliance outscore Salem 70-40 at Mount Union in their 2017 conference matchup and was impressed.

"I remember (Davidson) was a very good passer," he said.

While Alexander's football career was delayed last season, he concentrated on his academics, earning a 3.2 grade-point average. His original major was business, but he switched to communications.

After one year at Youngstown State, Alexander has settled into college life, although he went through one major adjustment.

"Time management is the biggest difference between high school and college, and I had to become better at managing my time last year," he said.

Alexander said his approach to football has also changed.

"Football is like a job, especially during camp," Alexander said. "You have to be totally involved."

Even though he no longer plays for Alliance, Alexander still has ties to the football team. He has remained friends with several former teammates, including senior running back Kayden Davis, who rushed for 935 yards, caught 30 passes and scored 13 touchdowns when the two were teammates in 2020.

Alexander noted that Davis appears ready to become a future teammate.

"Kayden has (verbally) committed to Youngstown State," Alexander said. "We talked a lot when I was home and working out."

Davis committed several months before the official signing date. Alexander did the same thing prior to his senior year in 2020, a decision he never regretted.

"When I verbally committed, I knew I would sign with (Youngstown State)," he said. "I haven't had any regrets."

After he signed with Youngstown State, Alexander said he would play anywhere in order to get on the field. He also played wideout at Alliance his final two seasons and saw action at linebacker, finishing with 10 catches for 236 yards and two scores, including one covering 99 yards against Marlington, and 45 tackles, four tackles for loss and three interceptions.

During the Penguins' spring game, Alexander showed off his running skills to engineer a scoring drive. Under head coach Doug Phillips, a former superintendent at West Branch Local Schools and head football coach at Salem, Youngstown State struggled to win during his first two seasons, recording a combined 4-13 overall record and 3-12 mark against competition in the rugged Missouri Valley Football Conference, headed by nine-time FCS playoff champion North Dakota State.

Playing in a brutal conference and facing a non-conference game against resurgent Kentucky of the Southeastern Conference, Alexander is thrilled with the challenge of helping restore Youngstown State to the football perch it enjoyed during the 1990s when it posted a composite 103-27-2 record and won four playoff titles under head coach Jim Tressel, now the university president who intends on retiring early next year.

"I know about (Tressel) and what he did for the program, and I want to do anything I can to get on the field," Alexander said. "I'll play quarterback, wide receiver, safety and special teams. Anything to help the team win."

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Alliance alum Brandon Alexander seeks bigger role at Youngstown State