Syracuse Football Top 25 Players of All-Time: No. 19 Joe “Doc” Alexander (J.A.)

Syracuse Football has had a long history of success. We look back at some of the best players to play at Syracuse University. Up next, No. 19: Joe “Doc” Alexander (J.A.)

Former Syracuse football great Joe Alexander is not a name most Orange fans have heard of. In fact, his name is one that you really have to go back in the history books for. Alexander played for Syracuse Football at center and guard from 1916-1920. During that stretch, there is not a whole lot of statistics about him, but he was one of only two players (legend Ernie Davis being the other) to be a consensus All-American multiple times.

J.A., or “Doc” as he was affectionately called, was selected as a consensus All-American in 1918, and 1919 for his play at guard, and in 1920 for his play at center, according to Cuse.com. He also served as a captain on the football team for two years, and one year on the lacrosse team, according to FootballFoundation.org.

During his SU career he had multiple highlights worth noting. In a 1918 game against Rutgers, he ran 75 yards for a touchdown after picking up a loose ball. In 1919, Alexander led Syracuse to a 24-3 win over rival Pittsburgh who had not lost in four years. The Post Standard, which still existed at that time, called the win the “greatest upset of the season in the world of sport“, according to Syracuse.com.

The following year in 1920, Alexander and the Syracuse Football program continued to defy the odds. Syracuse led by Alexander would beat Dartmouth at home, the first team to do that in 16 years. That same season in a game against Colgate, Alexander recorded 11 straight tackles at one point to lead to a 14-0 victory. During one stretch in that game, Colgate lined up on the one-yard line four times. Three of those times, Alexander tackled the offensive player. The last time they hiked the ball he intercepted the pass, according to the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.

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Alexander would go on to graduate from medical school and be signed as the first player signed in the history of the New York Giants in 1925. He would help lead the Giants to an 11-1-1 record and their first NFL Championship in 1927. While playing, he would also practice medicine on the side in New York City and play games on weekends.

“Doc” was later named to Syracuse’s All-Century team in 1999, and in 1954 was selected to be the first Syracuse football player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Also in 1954, Syracuse University founded the Joe Alexander Award given to an Orange player each year who displayed Excellence in Football, Scholarship and Citizenship.

In other words, this “Doc” exemplified the kind of athlete coaches dream about: a guy with good work ethic, could flat out ball, and was a leader both on the field as well as off. Joe Alexander may not have the stats to back up being on this list, but he has all the proof in what he accomplished both at Syracuse University as well as after to more than qualify being amongst the Top 25 Players All-Time to play for Syracuse Football.