In that trio of games, the Spartans have gone 2-0-1 with a win in Wisconsin against then-No. 16 Marquette and a 2-2 draw against No. 3 Creighton in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday night.

“I’ve never really played defense before, but my role usually as a center defensive mid is just about the same thing,” Alashe said. “It’s not easy, but it’s pretty similar to filling in for Cope at center back. I used to play a little bit of right back back in my club days, but no center back.”

In the game against Creighton, he scored his first goal of the season.

The shift of Alashe to the center back position forced senior midfielder Cody Henderson into a more important role in midfield.

Head coach Damon Rensing said it was tough to lose a player of Cope’s caliber, but Alashe has the necessary skills to excel in the back line.

“He’s got good instincts, he’s athletic and he’s solid on the ball,” Rensing said. “Fatai’s been in a lot of games, and he’s good on the ball. He just doesn’t have the reps seeing the situation as much, but it’s an important position. Fatai’s done a good job filling in.”

Another factor proving to be of value to Alashe and the Spartans is the familiarity between the other members of the defense.

The core group of sophomore goalkeeper Zach Bennett, senior defender Ryan Thelen, junior defender Ryan Keener and freshman midfielder Andrew Herr has done a good job of communicating with Alashe and making him part of the group.

Cope said he’s been aiding in the transition with the help of Keener, his longtime friend and center back partner.

“I helped him a couple times with forward runs, and with Ryan Keener back there, another very experienced center back, he’s been helping him as well,” Cope said. “Communication and letting him know when the play’s dead letting him know what he should or could do. There’s not all that many differences between defensive mid and center back, so he’s done a very good job so far.”

Some of the best soccer players at the national and international levels have trouble moving from midfielder to defense or even from central defender to fullback, while others have thrived.

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Brad Evans was called to the right back position for the U.S. Men’s National Team, and has been a key figure in the team qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, while Liverpool center back Mamadou Sakho was a big reason Liverpool lost to one of the worst teams in the Premier League last week after his shift to right back.

But for Alashe, all it took was a change of mind and some encouragement from his coaches and teammates.

“The fact that in center mid, you can take more chances as far as winning balls, but when you’re center back, you’re the last line of defense so if you take a chance and you mess up, you’re team is pretty much in jeopardy because of it,” he said. “It’s a different mindset, I just have to keep thing under control and watch the decisions I make.”