A&M teammates salute LC-M grad Sezer

Football coach Kevin Sumlin, left, presented Orange native Alex Sezer Jr the Aggie Heart Award at the Saturday, Dec. 10 Texas A&M football banquet held at Kyle Field.

For The Record

These are busy times for Alex Sezer, a Little Cypress-Mauriceville grad who puts the student in student-athlete.

Four years after he graduated from high school early to get a jump on earning his Texas A&M football scholarship, Sezer is set for another December exit.

He’s graduating from A&M Friday with a degree in industrial distribution. And he’s already got a job to jump right into, working for Opportune, an oil and gas consulting company in Houston.

But did we mention football?

The Aggies need his leadership for another 2016 football game, the Dec. 28 Advocare Texas Bowl against Kansas State.

And they made it clear how much they value that leadership last Saturday night at the Texas A&M football banquet.

Sezer received the Aggie Heart Award, the highest honor for a Texas A&M senior football player.

The Heart Award is voted upon by the players of the football team. It is presented to “a senior who has completed his eligibility and displays the intangibles such as effort, desire, determination, competitiveness, leadership and courage,” said a Texas A&M news release. “The Aggie Heart Award winner is the player who extends himself to the fullest every time he dons his football gear, regardless of the situation, be it in practice or a game.”

Sezer went to A&M as a two-time all-district running back who won honorable mention all-state honors after gaining 1,219 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior.

He was a backup defensive back and special teams star for the Aggies. He also was honored Saturday as A&M special teams MVP for 2016.

“Alex has played with a huge heart and has been a key component of our overall team,” Aggie head coach Kevin Sumlin said.

“As a senior captain, he has led not only by example, but speaks up when necessary. Alex is someone you can always count on. He is very worthy of the Aggie Heart Award.”

Sezer’s senior season has been his best. He was in on a career-high 22 tackles, including five against UCLA and four against Tennessee.

He started at cornerback Oct. 29 against New Mexico State.

“It was definitely different than the previous years,” Sezer said of his senior season. “They had to take me off special teams some this year because my role on defense was expanded.

“It’s been a fun year. I’ve been able to embrace a leadership role on the team.

“After years of looking up to the leadership of other guys, now others are looking up to me.”

So after walking at commencement ceremonies, it’s off to the workaday world.

“It’ll be different. I’ll probably work a lot shorter hours,” Sezer said.

But wait. There’s that bowl game.

The Kansas State game will be the 50th of his career.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Being my last game as an Aggie is a special game.

“Knowing it’s going to be my last game, when the clock strikes zero, it’s going to be emotional.”