In the Pittsburgh area, plenty of people love and hate Penn State.
Brendan Alexander falls more into the former.
Alexander, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound Class of 2026 lineman from Central Valley High School in the Beaver County area, told NSN “Of course I was a Penn State fan” growing up.
“I was one of those dudes that loved Penn State,” Alexander said. “I loved watching them, loved watching the White Out, just the atmosphere of it. Even watching the TV at home, I just felt the atmosphere.”
Alexander hopes to go to his first White Out game Saturday, Sept. 23 when Penn State hosts Iowa under the Beaver Stadium lights.
If he does go, he’ll be going there as an offered recruit.
All glory to God! After a conversation with @CoachTerryPSU I’ve been Blessed to receive an offer from Penn State University!! #WeAre @CoachTrautFB @wpialsportsnews @PA_TodaySports @CoachLyonsCVfb @PennStateFball @coachjfranklin @PRZPAvic #WeAre pic.twitter.com/SzQVDswu4Z
— Brendan Alexander (@BrendanAlex50) September 4, 2023
Penn State associate head coach Terry Smith— who is a Pittsburgh guy that played and coached at Monroeville’s Gateway High School before doing both at Penn State— called Alexander with good news.
“I always wanted to play there,” Alexander said, “and it was just a dream.”
Alexander has one other FBS offer (Central Michigan), so this is his first Power 5 offer.
After a practice, Alexander’s high school coach, Mark Lyons, told Alexander he had a call waiting for him from Smith.
“I wasn’t sure if they were going to offer me at first, he said. “I was just on the phone and then he brought the great news to me. I was excited. I was hyped because it felt like a dream.”
Alexander comes from a football family. His father Todd, played at Shippensburg and his uncle, Clint Alexander, at Cal U.
His brother, Landon, is in his second season at Albany after setting Central Valley’s all-time rushing record.
So how does Brendan Alexander see himself as a football player?
“I like being dominant,” he said. “I describe myself as a dominant player, a smart player also, and I like just to get to it. I like being aggressive, so that’s what I look at myself as. Someone that can get to it. Very athletic.”
Alexander feels he’s capable of playing on either side at the next level.
“I think I need more film defensively,” Alexander said, “but I feel like I’m great at both and I feel like I can play both if needed.”
Alexander has a lot of time to improve before he gets to college, and he intends to do just that.
“I want to be more dominant,” he said. “I just want to be great. At the end of the day, I want to be the best player I can be. So I’m always working to improve anything that I can. Even the strengths I need to improve on that as well, so just anything.”
For many recruits, the best part of going to a White Out Game is either the atmosphere or getting to know Penn State’s coaches.
But Alexander would look to use the opportunity to become a better football player.
“I want to watch the speed,” he said. “I want it to be a teaching moment, hopefully see what I can do, to see what those dudes on the field are doing so I can improve my play as well. I just want to see the size. I just want to see the size of it, the speed of the game. That’s what impresses me.”
“Not a lot of people get this opportunity, so I want to take the opportunity in full and really understand it and grasp the moment.”
