Coming out of high school, he was a highly-touted prospect with dreams of cracking Harvard’s starting lineup. Now a team captain and preseason All-Ivy Leaguer, Crimson senior Alex Gedeon has made versatility the touchstone of his career.
Unlike in other sports, in which a player is expected to excel in all aspects of the game, football players often specialize—to the point where it’s almost unheard of for one player to play both offense and defense. Gedeon is the rare exception.
“I grew up playing daily pickup football games with my two brothers and our friends,” Gedeon said in an e-mail. “You got used to doing everything in those games.”
Raised in Hudson, Ohio, Gedeon learned to master every aspect of the game at a very young age.
“Since I started playing football in third grade, I’ve always played both sides of the ball,” he said. “I really just loved playing football, and I wanted to be good at any aspect that could help my team win.”
While most players gradually begin to focus on a specific position as they get older, Gedeon’s high school coaches made sure that they made good use of their star player’s multidimensional skill set. In addition to starring as a quarterback for the Hudson High School Explorers, Gedeon also gained valuable experience as a cornerback and linebacker.
Upon reaching the collegiate level, he was forced to specialize. Amazingly, the transition was smooth, and the Ohio native had enormous success in his role as a linebacker for the Crimson. “Being able to focus on one side of the ball has allowed me to really improve my fundamentals and understanding of the linebacker position,” Gedeon said. He has since blossomed into one of the Ivy League’s best.
After seeing moderate action in his first two years, Gedeon made his first start in the opening game of his junior season, recording five tackles, an interception, and two broken passes, quickly establishing himself as a defensive force. However, for much of his college career, Gedeon’s multi-positional versatility was dormant. “As I moved on to college, having experience playing so many positions really wasn’t important anymore, because players are so talented at their respective spots,” Gedeon said.
However, he did have one big chance to display some of his hidden skills. “In rare instances, like the Columbia game last year, it worked out that I had some punting experience in my past,” Gedeon said.
Forced to fill in at punter in addition to fulfilling his usual linebacking duties against the Light Blue, the jack-of-all-trades performed admirably. Gedeon averaged a respectable 36.8 yards per punt, including one inside the 20, to go along with seven tackles and an interception on defense, leading his team to victory.
After an impressive season in which he was named second-team All Ivy, Gedeon was selected to be Harvard’s team captain in 2011.
“It’s about making sure both the team and individual actions are in line with our goals, and that everyone has a real passion for what we are trying to accomplish,” Gedeon said of his role.
He hasn’t disappointed thus far, as the Crimson sits at the top of the standings with a perfect conference record halfway through the season.
Columbia head coach Norries Wilson understands the danger Gedeon poses. “Alex Gedeon is a good player,” Wilson said. “I’ve watched on film and I’ve seen people block him. Our guys have got to be up to the task of getting a block on him.”
After last year’s performance, the Lions shouldn’t get their hopes too high.
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