Meet The Two-Deep: Alex Torres
August 06, 2011 | Football
August 6, 2011
"Meet The Two-Deep" is an exclusive daily feature at texastech.com designed to allow Red Raider Nation to connect with this year's football team. The players in this feature made the official "two-deep" following spring practices, which means they will be competing for a starting spot when Texas Tech opens the 2011 football season at home against Texas State on Sept. 3. Check-in each morning at 10 a.m. (CT) on texastech.com and get to know a different member of your Red Raider football team.
Meet Alex Torres | Watch on YouTube | 
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What goes through your mind when running onto the field with the team on a gameday?
"When running on to the field, what I try to do is keep a clear mind, focus on the task at hand, focusing on what is important at that point. Our game plan, what the coaches are telling us. So I try to go in, running onto the field with nothing on my mind other than the game plan that we have for that day."
What is your favorite thing about being a Red Raider?
"Honestly it's the atmosphere, the teammates, the coaches, the school in general. The atmosphere that surrounds the team, the emphasis on the football program and everything when it comes down to being with our teammates and really sharing those moments. When it comes to pre-game meals, meetings the night before, everything that involves connecting. Knowing that we have a really good group of guys that are all in it for the same thing, for the same goal. That's one of the things that I love most about this program, this team, this atmosphere."
Is there a motto or a phrase you live by?
"I don't really have on in particular, but the one thing that I always try to remind myself, one thing I really play for is I've developed such a good connection with so many of my teammates, so many of my friends here that I've grown real close to, as well as the coaches and everything. So one of the things I really try to focus on is not letting the guy beside me down, really just doing my job to do my part in what our overall goal is, and hopefully as far as when everybody gets called upon or anything like that, I don't let the guy next to me down."
What is your personal goal for this season?
"Just focusing on my job, get what I need to get done, and my personal goal is to not to let any of my teammates down, to be dependable, and to be accountable when it comes to my job out on the field."
Do you have any hidden talents?
"No, not really, I mean there's nothing in particular that I would call a "hidden talent".
Who are some of the major influences in your life, both on and off the field?
"Off the field, definitely my parents. They've been through a lot. I've learned from them growing up on how they deal with a lot of adversity and stuff like that, and they've helped me through adversity, so they've been a big influence on me getting to where I've been and giving me my mindset to accomplish goals and to succeed. It all stems from how they brought me up. And when it comes to on the field, there's definitely a lot of role models that I have in the NFL, I really like to look at a player's character, how they really display themselves when it comes to cameras and media and stuff like that, the way a person carries themselves, their character when it comes to stuff like that, and their character on the field, more than just their talents. But a lot of my influences on the field come from teammates I've played with, especially the upperclassmen when I first got here. It's really easy to get influenced by those guys, watching the way they work, and seeing how far they've taken it, like guys that have moved on to the next level as far as old teammates. Jamar Wall, when I first got here, really influenced me by seeing his work ethic and also seeing how much he cared about his teammates and making the team better as a whole by really trying to work with the younger guys and get every player, no matter if they were redshirting that year and not playing or anything, he was always there to help out. That really influenced me when I comes to one of the older guys, it's really something I try to carry on, and hopefully try to pass on to a couple more of these younger guys."
What has been the biggest difference for you personally from your first year at Tech to where you are now in your career?
"The role I've taken on as far as getting here, it's all about learning and really getting your mindset, to taking everything in and trying to develop good character and a sense of leadership and stuff like that, and as to now where I'm passing on where I am, where I've learned stuff when it comes to on the field and off the field, how to carry yourself and really succeed in the classroom and on the field. All that stuff, the things I took in from the older guys and coaches, and now it's time to pass it on, it's kind of that role reversal, it's continuing the cycle, really trying to get the new people that come in, new members and working to get them to who they need to be, and help them to become a better athlete and person in general."
Give your personal message to Red Raider Nation.
"This is going to be a good year. We've had a great summer, a great spring. And our goal right now is really an emphasis on making this season really, really shine. So our big thing right now is to finish off the summer with a positive attitude, and right now, our team's got one of the best attitudes and atmosphere as far as in the locker room goes, everyone's on the same page, and it really shows, and I'm looking forward to it."
