Alex Aitchison is more than an all-conference defensive lineman for Coe football

CEDAR RAPIDS — Coe’s Alex Aitchison is accomplished on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

He has garnered awards as a player and as a student. Aitchison has also been recognized for his work with younger football players and his teammates.

Not only does he want to help the Kohawks to an American Rivers Conference title and a deep playoff run, he owns All-America aspirations.

“I haven’t gotten to that level, yet,” Aitchison said during the team’s annual media day Monday at Clark Field. “It is something I’ve been really striving for the last couple of years.”

Aitchison will play a key role for a defense expected to be a strength for Coe, which was voted second and received one first-place vote in the American Rivers Conference preseason coaches poll. The Kohawks were 9-2 overall last year, placing second in the conference with a 7-1 mark.

“Our goal is still to get better every time we step on the field,” nine-year Coe Coach Tyler Staker said. “We’re only 10 days into fall camp so we have a lot of work to do and continue to improve.”

Aitchison is a three-year first-team all-conference performer, wreaking havoc on offenses. He has tallied 114 total tackles with 49 tackles for loss and 23 sacks, backing up opponents for a whopping 261 yards. Aitchison is determined to make his final season his best.

“I have high expectations for the team and myself,” Aitchison said. “It’s the last go-around and want to really let loose this year.

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“I’ve just put in the extra work in the weight room over the offseason. We have a new strength coach (Stephen Vassalotti), who has been doing really well for us. He had a good group of guys stay over the summer and got really good work in.”

The 6-foot-6, 255-pounder from Cascade is listed as a defensive lineman but is much more than a label. On the field, he has been effective in rushing the quarterback and stopping the run. Defensive coordinator Cody Baethke has utilized him in various positions, attempting to create mismatches.

Defensive end might be his natural fit but he’ll also move to the interior, depending on the scheme.

“He is a very selfless player,” Staker said. “He’s going to do whatever it takes for the team to have success.

“We’ll move him around. He’s a traditional edge rusher when you look at his body type and his levers. We’ll put him at nose (guard) to create different packages and to get different looks.”

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The defense’s philosophy is to stuff the run to earn a chance to rush the quarterback. Aitchison excels at both.

“He is super attentive to detail in everything he does in the weight room, film room and practice,” Coe defensive lineman Stone Cummins said. “It translates over. He’s super long. That helps as a defensive lineman. He’s got great get-off. He’s super physical and has great technique. He’s got what it takes to be a great defensive lineman. It puts it together off the field, too, and that’s important.”

Staker said the Kohawks defense will be the backbone of this year’s team. The experienced unit has 12 or 13 seniors that could take the field any Saturday. The depth is what allows Aitchison to move around because others can do their jobs.

“You have guys like Jay Oostendorp, Sam Shaw and Ben Adelsberger and Stone Cummins,” Staker said. “We return LaDainian Linnear and Chase Kruse at corners. There are a lot of pieces. Brady Lyons will be a fifth-year guy and is an interior lineman for us.

“There are a lot of guys, as a unit, who have a lot of game experience between all of them. We’ll be leaning on the leadership and experience throughout the course of the season.”

Aitchison said unselfishness is indicative of the entire defense. He insists the entire squad has the same flexible, team-first approach.

“All over our defense we do a good job filling in different spots,” Aitchison said. “Jay plays outside and inside linebacker. Sam plays inside and outside linebacker. All of our d-line can get plugged in any spot up front.

“Having that can keep an offense on the edge all game long. You can show up with certain personnel on the field and have four or five looks out of those personnel. It can really mess with an offense’s head when you’re doing stuff like that.”

Aitchison is more than just a leader on the field. He was a nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy offered by the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame, is an academic All-American and an all-district student, earning three academic all-conference honors as a Kinesiology and Education major with a 3.89 grade-point average.

Staker said Aitchison helped during the program’s summer youth camps and mentors teammates. He resembles an on-field coach, which will prepare him for the future as a teacher and coach.

“The guys look to him as a leader on and off the field,” Staker said. “He takes care of his business in the classroom. He is the first guy to practice, coaching guys up when he’s not in and doing it the right way to make sure they know their assignment with little pointers here and there.

“Guys look to him when they have questions. Opportunities he’s had during his time here has allowed him to share his wisdom with the younger players and how to play the game.”

Aitchison recalled a fourth-grade teacher telling him he’d be a good teacher because of his gift of helping people. Multiple teachers and coaches have encouraged him to go into that profession. He has a passion to affect others, like he has done on the football field.

“It’s good to see your influence on other people,” Aitchison said. “That’s one of the reasons I want to be a teacher. You can impact a person’s life for the better. It’s something that I am seeing myself try and do now.”

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