Super 30: Tulsa Washington's Derrick Alexander

Darrell Hall hasn’t had a lot of time to spend with his players at Tulsa Washington, but you don’t have to talk long to figure out the new Hornets coach knows how important Derrick Alexander will be to his team.

Hall expects his 6-foot-2, 250-pound athlete to fill a variety of needs for his team, particularly at left tackle and defensive end, though he can play linebacker or defensive tackle if needed.

From my perspective, he was a genuinely fun kid to talk to. Comfortable, honest and intelligent throughout the interview. He was able to laugh at himself a little, talk about his positives as a player, as well as the areas where he knows he needs to get better for college.

He performed well at a camp at Arkansas on Monday and has had could be hearing more from them, as well as Missouri State and Colorado State, on a scholarship offer in the near future. Oklahoma has shown interest, too. His first formal offer so far is from Louisiana-Monroe.

As for this fall, he knows expectations will be high for the Hornets, regardless of the difficulties they faced last year, or the fact that they’ve got a new coach.

“The gold ball is the goal every year,” he said. “It’s got to be if you’re at Booker T. Washington. It’s the expectation. It’s a must.”

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com