#4 Alex Washington Season 2007-08

2008
Washington earned 11 consecutive starts before sitting out the season finale at Tennessee due to injury… Finished the season with 11 receptions, good for 125 yards… Was team[apos]s fourth leading receiver in yardage… Also averaged 4.7 yards on 25 punt returns, serving that role for all but the finale… Had three catches for 24 yards against Georgia Tech… Had 29-yard catch, longest of the season, against Mississippi State… Also represented receiving corps on team[apos]s leadership council.

2008
Played in seven games as redshirt junior, demonstrating tremendous personal drive by returning to action less than six months after serious knee injury… First action came in win over Auburn… Only catch of the season came in bowl win over Boston College… Also returned two punts in latter stages of the season.

2007
Played in every game as a redshirt sophomore, contributing as a multiple threat for the Commodores as receiver/return specialist… Participation increased as campaign endured… Ranked ninth in the SEC with 6.6-yard punt return average… Became valuable option as receiver near conclusion of season, finishing with nine catches – a single-season high – for 120 yards… As kickoff return specialist, averaged 20.6 yards per return… Also had a pair of rushes for four yards… Ranked fourth on team with 536 all-purpose yards… Set single-game career highs with five receptions and 63 yards in finale vs. Wake Forest… Had receptions of 30 yards or more versus Tennessee and Wake Forest… First punt return of season – an apparent TD vs. Alabama – was nullified by penalty… Shared team[apos]s Specialist of the Year honors after Auburn performance… Posted five punt returns of 10 yards or more… Career long punt return of 37 yards led to key score in Commodore win at South Carolina.

2006
Played in every game as either a receiver or return specialist… Ranked eighth among SEC kickoff returners with 19.2 average… Season-long kickoff return of 43 yards came in Georgia win… Handled team[apos]s punt returning chores for much of season, averaging 5.6 yards on 10 attempts… As a wide receiver, hauled in three catches for 12 yards… Concluded season with 432 all-purpose yards, fourth best on the team.

2005
Redshirted as freshman… Impressed as wide receiver during fall practices… Named team[apos]s top offensive scout player after Middle Tennessee and South Carolina games.

High School
Senior captain… Two-year starter at wide receiver; started in the defensive secondary as a senior… Averaged 24 yards per receptions, scoring two touchdowns as senior… On defense, contributed 27 tackles and one interception… Team went 7-5, advancing to AAAAA playoffs… Named DeKalb Super 11 and All-District… Squad in state playoffs each of three varsity seasons… Also standout as sprinter/jumper in track & field.

Personal
Alexander Phillip Washington… Son of Andre and Annette Washington… Dad works as computer programmer; mom is an accountant… Has a younger sister… Washington will finish his undergraduate degree in Human and Organizational Development in May 2010… He is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient… Dad ran collegiate track… Served as camp counselor… Worked for Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food franchise… Played the saxophone as a youngster.

Stephenson Head Coach Ron Gartrell
‘Alex has excellent abilitites. All along, our coaches expected him to be a Division I prospect. He is a young man with exceptional speed, the ability to go over the middle and catch the ball, then run after the catch. He also has great work ethic.
‘Alex[apos]s statistics were down this year because we were very inexperienced at quarterback. We just didn[apos]t have a passer that could get it to our guys.’