Nick Saban describes Will Anderson's 'warrior mentality'

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. didn’t have to force it last week.

The sophomore was recovering from a knee injury that he suffered in the Crimson Tide’s Week 2 win over Mercer. He was practicing, sure, but he was limited. Alabama head coach Nick Saban was careful, labeling Anderson’s status as “day-to-day” or “questionable” heading into the Crimson Tide’s game at then-No. 11 Florida, its toughest competition to date.

But none of that mattered to Anderson, who — as Saban later explained — was nowhere near 100 percent when he took the field in Gainesville, but proceeded to put together one of the best performances of his young career: a seven-tackle game that led Alabama to victory, and won Anderson SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

“You have an opportunity, when you’re not 100 percent, to show that you’re a warrior,” Saban explained. “That you can go out there and play, be Player of the Week when you weren’t 100 percent. And he wasn’t 100 percent. He didn’t practice all week and he got tired in the game. He practiced some, but he didn’t practice like he always does. And he got tired in the game and he persevered. He showed a warrior mentality.”

High praise from the legendary head coach. And frankly, it’s deserved: Anderson is one of the top pass rushers in college football. Last season, playing as a true freshman, Anderson still earned the starting job at outside linebacker. He finished third in the SEC with seven sacks and third with 10.5 tackles for loss last season, earning him freshman All-American honors. He also totaled 34 tackles and forced a fumble as a freshman.

This year, he seems to have gotten better — and, as Saban explained Wednesday, Anderson contributes far more than just on-field prowess.

“[The warrior mentality] creates tremendous value to me for any player who can do that, and he did it. So, I don’t see him being a work-in-progress at all. I see him being one of the guys on our team that plays to the standard that we want guys to play to,” Saban said. “He does it all the time and he does it on a consistent basis and he sets a great example for every other player who wants to be successful. Why don’t they play like that? Why don’t they do that? I think he’s got some leadership qualities that are going to grow and develop as we go through this season and in the future.”

Before going down to injury, Anderson had three tackles and one tackle for loss against Mercer. He’s not showing any signs of slowing down, either.