With four minutes to go, Devin Alexander knew what he needed to do.
Norman High held a 31-22 lead over Edmond Memorial on Oct. 1, 2021, and a run was called for the then-sophomore running back. It was his fifth varsity game, but Alexander had scored three touchdowns before facing the Bulldogs. His fast start gained coach Rocky Martin’s trust.
Alexander took a handoff from shotgun and burst up the field for a 40-yard touchdown. Two minutes later, he did it again from 20 yards out. Alexander single-handedly put the Tigers up 45-22, en route to a three-score victory for Norman High.
It was then Alexander knew he’d arrived.
“I just thought to myself, ‘This was really it, I’m here.’” Alexander told the OU Daily. “I just thought it was super cool that I rushed for multiple touchdowns. Not that many people can say they scored that many times in a game.”
Now a senior, Alexander has become the focal point of Norman High’s offense, scoring six touchdowns in the Tigers’ 43-42 win over Moore last Friday. When in doubt, Tigers coach Rocky Martin puts the ball in his hands, counting on Alexander’s speed and explosiveness.
The strategy paid off, with five of Alexander’s six touchdowns coming from over 20 yards out.
Despite the loss, Norman High RB Devin Alexander (@dEV22alexander) rushed for 281 YARDS and 6 TD's. (you heard that right).An unbelievable performance 💨💨 TRACK SPEED@nhstigerfb pic.twitter.com/uJ3U5UREMK
— KREFSportsTV (@KREFsportsTV) September 9, 2023
After two games, Alexander is over 20% of the way to his goal of 1,200 rushing yards this season. But having emerged as a team leader, Alexander wants to take the Tigers to their first playoff appearance since 2019.
Ahead of Norman High’s (0-2) home matchup against 6A-II Stillwater (0-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday, he thinks it’s possible with him at the helm.
“I really just want to win. I want to get to the playoffs because we haven’t been there yet,” Alexander said. “Hopefully, we win the whole thing. But, I just want to make it there.”
According to Martin, playing as a sophomore is rare. However, it was hard for Martin to deny Alexander playing time when he first saw him. From his first practice of fall camp, Martin was impressed with Alexander’s speed, work ethic and maturity. And, despite a crowded running back roster including junior Xavier Shackelford, Alexander made his way into the rotation.
He saw 14 carries and his first varsity touchdown in the season opener against Norman North and never looked back.
“With all sophomores, we want them to learn from older players, but Devin grasped things really early on,” Martin told the OU Daily. “We knew what kind of an athlete he was, and the more he played, the better he got. He was ready right away.”
Alexander has seven siblings, three of which, Gaylan, Tevin and Kevin Randle, played at Norman High under the seven-year coach Martin before him. Even though Alexander is the first offensive player of the family he’s coached, Martin still sees the same competitiveness and fire he saw in the three Randles.
It meant once he showed up, Martin knew what he was getting.
“Because of his brothers, I could only imagine how he’d been competing with them his entire life,” Martin said. “He’s a competitive guy who always wants to be the best, and he shows that every day in practice. His brothers have helped him just as much as they’ve helped me.”
Alexander continued to have a role during his junior year, but it wasn’t until the beginning of 2023 that both realized Alexander could be the Tigers’ offensive centerpiece. It started with Norman High’s track season when Alexander tied a school record with a 10.34-second 100-meter dash.
The time beat his teammate Brody Boyd’s by more than four-tenths of a second.
Hit a new PR (10.34) tied the school record pic.twitter.com/6CqaVoaGOK
— Devin (@dEV22alexander) April 15, 2023
But Alexander didn't get the chance to improve until the summer. He pulled his hamstring towards the end of the track season, causing him to miss all of spring football.
Once he returned, Alexander began working to enhance his conditioning by running laps around the track of Norman High’s Harve Collins Stadium after lifting weights each day. He also decreased his rest time, wanting to improve his endurance.
“I just wanted to challenge myself,” Alexander said. “I knew I had the speed, but I knew I needed to improve my conditioning. This year is big for me, so I just didn’t want to get tired.”
With Shackleford having graduated, Norman High needed a new starting running back. Within the first week of practice, Martin knew Alexander was the guy.
“I saw spurts of it last year, but I really saw it this summer,” Martin said. “It didn’t take me long to realize he was the guy, and it didn’t take him long to realize it either. It clicked for him, and he knew he needed to step up.”
Now a starter, Alexander wanted to improve his leadership alongside his athletic ability. When he makes a goal, like his 1,200-yard target, he wants it to cater to his team as much as it does himself.
To him, he needs 1,200 rushing yards if he wants Norman High to win games.
He also wanted to become a more vocal leader, so he started talking more. Previously known as a quiet guy, Alexander began motivating his teammates and cracking jokes to try and keep them in positive spirits.
Alexander also wanted to lead more by example, and now makes an effort to sit in the front of his classes and turn in schoolwork on time. He thinks it should be required when you’re a starter on the varsity team.
“I just felt like I needed to step up,” Alexander said. “Every time there’s a bad practice or when I have to push someone, I need to say something about it. I didn't really realize how big of a role a leader can play on the team, but that really can change everything.”
And from the start of fall camp, Alexander’s improved leadership abilities haven’t gone unnoticed.
“Our whole team has great chemistry, and especially Devin,” said senior safety Dax Noles. “We’re always hanging out … And he’s always motivating everybody. He does that every day because he wants to be the best, and he wants us to be the best.”
Alexander doesn’t have any collegiate offers yet, but hopes to play at the next level in the future. But right now, after fighting two years for a starting spot, he’s focused on earning the Tigers their first playoff bid in four seasons.
“I want people to think of an athletic, fast player, but also as a nice guy,” Alexander said. “I just want to keep positive people and positive thoughts around me. I want to lift others up and want people to lift me up. All of that will always help me.”
