BURLINGTON, Ky. — Cooper High School football star Austin Alexander smiled as he walked around his graduation party and college signing ceremony Tuesday night.
The Alexander family expected 150 guests as family, friends, former coaches, Cooper teammates and classmates entered the weeknight celebration.
“It’s such a great moment to be able to connect with the people who’ve been essential in my life,” Alexander said.
Alexander, a defensive end/outside linebacker who also played tight end at Cooper, signed with the University of North Carolina early Tuesday afternoon. That signing marked the completion of a decision that drew attention in the past week after UNC hired Bill Belichick as its head coach.
It was a recruiting journey that adapted to UNC staffing changes since Alexander verbally committedto the Tar Heels this past April.
“It’s been very crazy but it’s been a lot of fun,” Alexander said. “Things like this don’t happen to everyone. And also things like this — it comes and goes. It’s something that I just wanted to live in the moment. Not stress about but have fun with and make the right, educated moves in my life. It’s been crazy but it’s been a lot of fun just trying to see what I need to do next.”
Alexander, who is 6-foot-3 1/2 and 241 pounds, said he relied on his faith this month in preparing to sign with UNC.
“I trusted in my Lord and savior, and I trusted in the plan he has for me,” Alexander said. “My heart felt rooted in Chapel Hill. I opened up options, but I truly felt like my heart was in Chapel Hill. Everything lined up as God’s plan intended.”
It’s been less than a week since UNC hired Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach. And while the past week has been a whirlwind of sorts for those connected to the UNC program, Alexander is confident as he prepares to join his teammates Sunday in Chapel Hill.
“North Carolina just reiterated to us again that Austin is the kind of kid that we want to have in our program,” said Durran Alexander, Austin’s father. “He’s an excellent talent on the field and off the field. To have that from those that were staying and with the new GM (Michael Lombardi), Coach Belichick coming in — they’re saying the same things. They’re like, ‘We know that he can make plays. This is the kind of kid that we want to have here.’ So just going through that — just being reassured of that made it known that that’s where we want to be.”
Austin Alexander and his family spoke with Belichick by phone for nearly 30 minutes Sunday afternoon. The longtime former NFL coach explained how he likes Alexander’s versatility.
“When you’ve got a great man like Coach Belichick and he’s referring to Austin — even some of the past (New England) Patriots that he’s had — he’s like, ‘Man, I really think that he could do this or do that,” Durran Alexander said. “So it was cool to know that he did his homework and knew that Austin was a defensive guy, he was an offensive guy — he could be inside, outside. He spoke to all those things.”
Austin Alexander completes his high school career Friday and plans to meet with the UNC team Sunday in Chapel Hill.
Alexander plans to practice with the Tar Heels as they prepare to play the University of Connecticut in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28. Alexander will start his classes Jan. 6 at UNC.
While circumstances have moved quickly for Alexander as he prepares for his new journey in North Carolina, Tuesday night was an opportunity to celebrate the impact he’s made in football and beyond in Northern Kentucky.
"We’re fortunate for the man that he’s become,” Durran Alexander said. “For so many people to speak of how he’s impacted their life and how they want their son to be like him and they follow him on how he carries himself. That actually is the greatest part.”
Austin Alexander, who was a part of back-to-back Class 5A state runner-up teams, said he won’t ever forget his time at Cooper.
“Most proud of truly the bond and the culture that was created at Cooper,” Alexander said. “Really all those dudes I just love from the bottom of my heart whether they played, whether they didn’t. We just created such a bond that was incredible and created a culture centered on Christ, created a culture centered on winning and it’s something so special. And it’s something that I love looking back on.”
