Up close with OSU's Alex Elkins
BY KELLY HINES World Sports Writer
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
11/28/12 at 5:15 AM
Position: Linebacker
Year: Senior
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 230 pounds
Hometown: Archdale, N.C.
Major: Education
Elkins, who leads the Cowboy defense with 59 tackles, is winding down his time in Stillwater. He came to OSU after two seasons at Blinn (Texas) Community College, where the former rugby and baseball star played his first organized football.
You're wearing festive pajama pants (gray with candy canes). Were those a gift?
Yeah, from my mom.
Who in your family do you have the hardest time shopping for?
My sister (Erica). She's 24.
Is it difficult balancing football with the holidays?
Not really. You've kind of got to sort your priorities out, and I can't put holidays before football.
Did you enjoy watching comedians instead of practicing Sunday night?
It helped us get our mind off what had happened Saturday and helped alleviate a lot of people, I'm sure. We needed the change-up. It's been a grind. We've been going at it for eight weeks now, so you have to appreciate moments like that.
Which comedian was the funniest?
Cedric the Entertainer.
After the loss to OU, what was going through your mind as you walked off the field?
"I can't believe it. It hurts so much." What hurt me the most was I didn't get the opportunity to stand up for my team in overtime. I'm not putting that on anybody. The coaches made their decision. I'm not going against what they say. But I just wish I'd had the opportunity to make a stand.
What do you plan to do after leaving here?
Hopefully I get the opportunity to go to the NFL. That's all I need. I know I'm not the most polished linebacker in the nation and I know I've got a lot to learn, but if somebody will sit me down and teach me the technique and give me a chance, I'll make the best of it.
By not having a background in football, does that benefit you because you're more open-minded?
Absolutely. Coming in this late in the game, I'm still new. Sometimes they don't even realize they need to teach me certain techniques. They teach me concepts and ideas and I do my best to cope and understand and do it from what I know. I feel like if someone would sit me down and go through every single minor detail and teach me what this is and what that is, I could only better my game.
Is it comforting to know you have had success without reaching your ceiling?
Yeah. I'm still a diamond in the rough, but my coaches here at OSU have really helped mold me into the player I am. Without them, I'd probably be a regular Joe. But there's so many opportunities I see for my life. Shoot, I still could even throw the baseball. I think if someone would let me get on the mound, maybe I'd have an opportunity to do that. Right now at this point in my life, I know I need to keep grinding with football, but in the back of my mind maybe a curveball is waiting to happen.
What is something you do outside football?
I'm a huge Halo guy. I won a local (32-man) tournament when the new Halo 4 came out. ... That was fun to show up there and get a victory.
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