McPherson relishing his second act
Alex McPherson always assumed football would be an everyday part of his life.
Then he woke up in a hospital on Christmas morning.
“That was kinda fun,” Auburn’s star placekicker said with a sarcastic laugh Wednesday afternoon. “That was new.”
McPherson may look at the same and his affable personality certainly hasn’t changed, but the junior has a brand-new appreciation for every day he spends on a football field. After months of confusion last summer and fall about what was causing his unexplained weight loss and stomach pain, he was found to be suffering from severe inflammation throughout his large intestine.
Ulcerative colitis was the culprit. McPherson’s path to health required invasive surgery that removed a large portion of his intestine, which hampered his body’s ability to properly digest food and eliminate waste. The initial surgery was performed on Dec. 20. 2024, but a subsequent complication kept the Fort Payne native hospitalized a bit longer.
“I’ve always like to say that I’m mentally tough, but going through something like that … it really puts things into perspective for you,” he said. “You think football is your life. Then you realize it can get put on hold like that.”
Though McPherson played at 160 pounds as a sophomore in 2023, he twice tipped the scales at 110 pounds last year. That 50-pound loss represented a nearly 30 percent reduction in his body mass.
Despite malaise, lethargy and weight loss, McPherson nonetheless managed to take the field against Kentucky on Oct. 26. He went 1-of-2 that day — connecting on a 27-yarder and missing from 47.
“I might have been 65 (percent),” McPherson said of his health that day. “I probably shouldn’t have played in that game, looking back, but I’m glad I got into that game.”
The experience reminded him of the excitement of competing inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. The experience gave him the drive to choose surgery and fight through its painful aftermath.
That pain feels like a distant memory now.
McPherson is back up to 160 pounds these days and is having no trouble hitting kicks during Auburn’s spring practice period. He feels strong. His accuracy is in tact. His only concern right now is just the daily repetition of kicking at a high level — the wear and tear on this surgically repaired kicker’s body.
Still, McPherson knows he’s in the right spot.
Auburn has five kickers on the roster right now and each guy is vying for a chance to be the Tigers’ top choice this fall. Simply being part of that competition, being part of the team, is a joy he relishes each time he dons a helmet.
“It’s helped me progress faster than I would have without it,” McPherson said. “Just getting back into the competitive mindset. When you go through something like that, you come out on the other side a better person. I am the person I am today because of that. My mental toughness is probably a lot higher than it was.”
And considering McPherson went 13-of-13 during his last healthy season, that’s saying something.
