Will Anderson uses car metaphor to downplay Heisman Trophy snub
Alabama linebacker Will Anderson is having a historic season for the Crimson Tide, and his elite performance continued through the College Football Playoff semifinals.
No. 1 Alabama on Friday beat No. 4 Cincinnati, 27-6, and Anderson had his name written all over the stat sheet. He logged six total tackles (two solo stops), while also notching two sacks, bringing his nation-leading sack count up to 17.5.
This season, Anderson was the well-deserved recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded annually to the nation’s top defensive player, but he was curiously left off the list of Heisman Trophy finalists. Anderson previously expressed a care-free mentality about his Heisman snub, stating that he had loftier team goals in mind: winning a national title. But on Monday, in Alabama’s College Football Playoff media availability, Anderson used a new metaphor to discuss the snub.
“I had conversation with my high school coach, and he was telling me that your body is your engine. And I’m a car. And the only thing you need to get going is that engine,” he said. “Anything else that comes with it, any accolades, anything else, that just to make you look nice. As long as your engine is going in your car you’re fine.”
If Cincinnati was any indication, Anderson’s engine is working just fine.
Though he may seem unbothered by his Heisman snub, what created controversy — and frankly, what fueled the question of whether he deserved an invite to New York — was the fact that Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was instead the lone defensive finalist. Anderson this season has 97 total tackles (54 solo stops), 17.5 sacks (No. 1 in the country), and 34.5 tackles for loss (also No. 1 in the country). Those numbers are staggering when compared to Hutchinson’s resume, as the Michigan senior finished the year with 62 total tackles (36 solo stops), 14 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.
But Anderson emphasized that he doesn’t play for accolades, and he’s hardly interested in discussing his Heisman Trophy snub. After all, those are merely accessories on the car.
“For instance, me getting that Nagurski Trophy, that was just a pair of rims on my car. So I think that’s how you approach it,” Anderson said. “As long as your engine is there, you keep going. Anything else, that’s just to make you look nice. When he broke that down to me and explained that to me, I think that was one of the best things he could ever do. He really opened my eyes to me. It was, like, man, you were right. As long as I’ve got my engine, that’s all I need for my car to keep going.”
Alabama still took home the Heisman Trophy, but it wasn’t Anderson’s honor — at least not this year. Instead of the sophomore linebacker, it was the sophomore quarterback, Bryce Young, who became the second Crimson Tide in as many years to win the Heisman. But as long as his engine is moving, Anderson will be quite alright.
“As long as you have the engine, in the bigger piece, the bigger picture that we wanted to reach the three goals we set when you come to college – as long as you have those things, that’s all we wanted,” Anderson said. “Anything else, yeah, it looks nice, yes. I’m blessed to have it. But as long as you have that engine you’ll be all right, you’ll keep moving. When he expressed that to me it opened my eyes so much more and I’m so blessed to have him. That was good.”
Now, that car will have to maneuver through heavy traffic, as Alabama will face the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs in an SEC Championship rematch. Only this time, rather than a conference title on the line, they’re playing for all the marbles — the national championship. Anderson’s mindset will remain focused on team-oriented goals, not individual accolades. He said the same applied for his focus heading into the Cincinnati game, and that sure seemed to work.
“That was my biggest thing going into (the Cincinnati) game, I really could have focused on (individual performance). I had to help my teammates out and we had to get down to business and make sure we was good,” Anderson said. “I couldn’t worry about anything else, no Heisman or anything like that. None of that stuff motivates me to play any more than I already do. I have my own self-motivation, the only stuff that I have to motivate me to help me play. And I think that’s what helps me.”
At this point in the season, if Anderson is a car, he’s looked more like a Ferrari, and he’s made his opponents look like bicyclists.