Grad Transfer Linebackers Fitting In with Blue Devils

David Shumate: Before we talk about the decision to come here and play, I don’t know if you’ve heard Coach Diaz talk about this, but one of the reasons you popped for him is he saw you at Youngstown State and everything you were doing. How cool is that to hear high-level coaches like him talk about seeing you when you’re playing in the FCS ranks? 

Alex Howard: It’s just cool, I mean, it was my Youngstown State film. I played against Ohio State, so I’m sure he saw it was when he was at Penn State. When I entered the portal, almost every coach showed me my Ohio State film. That’s all I heard was just them saying I was a baller. They noted I could run fast and that I could play at any level.

DS: A lot of people don’t realize, and before we talk about the decision to transfer, Youngstown State is one of those programs over the years that’s been really at a high level in the FCS ranks. Tell me about your experience there and how that’s made you the player that you are right now. 

AH: It started a little slow, I had a lot of injuries in my first few years, but then once I started to learn the defense and started to play, each year just got better and better. My stats just doubled and tripled and then I got to the point where I was like, I need to go up and play bigger. 

DS: I know your path was a little bit unusual coming here to Duke, you spent some time at Texas A&M before you ultimately landed here. Tell me about that process specifically getting to know Manny Diaz and the defensive staff and making sure that this was going to be the right fit for you. 

AH: Once I saw the defense, it was the right fit because this is a similar defense to the one I played in at Youngstown State. At A&M it was different. So, once I entered the portal again and I saw this defense and I already knew about Manny Diaz and how his defense is about getting vertical, making a lot of plays in the backfield, at that point I knew it was a done deal. 

DS: Obviously, he and Jonathan Patke have a very longstanding relationship. They seem like brilliant football minds. I’m curious what’s it like to be in the meeting room with Coach Patke but also picking Coach Diaz’s brain as well? 

AH: I like it a lot. During camp Coach Patke had his baby, so Coach Diaz was in there with us one day and it was just crazy to have him coach us and just go through things and then see what he wants. Then there is just the day-to-day with Coach Patke. He just lets us…