#kinda #shocked #Andersons #reasonable #Pick #reaction
Drive for show, putt for dough is one of those old golf cliches. There are glory moments but the real work isn’t as glamorous, is the gist.
Alabama’s Will Anderson on Monday offered a football take on that concept while reveling in his first Alabama touchdown. His Pick-6 touchdown dominated the conversation in the aftermath of the Crimson Tide’s 63-7 dispatch of Louisiana-Monroe.
It was interesting because of how rare the moment was. Anderson, a sure fire first-round pick next spring, said he hasn’t scored a touchdown since his days playing youth ball.
He also recorded second sack of the season in a moment that drew far less fanfare.
“I think sacks are like, you know, that’s basically my job,” he said matter of factly. “It’s bound to happen at any point in the game. That’s what you really work for when you play my position.”
Anderson’s NFL future is tied directly to his ability to hit quarterbacks, not snag their passes. The touchdown was more for show than a precursor to a positional change.
RELATED: Will Anderson will get his $20. LB breaks down Alabama turnover pool
The ever-expressive Anderson described his real-time reaction to the tipped pass he caught and ran 25 yards for a touchdown Saturday.
“When I was on the field, I was like I was kinda shocked I had it,” Anderson said Monday. “And when I started running, I was even more shocked. And when I stiff armed him … it’s just like shocks just kept coming.”
Getting mobbed in the end zone was a top-5 moment in his three-year Alabama career, he said.
He became the first Alabama linebacker to score a non-special teams touchdown since Anfernee Jennings returned a fumble against The Citadel in 2018. The fact his teammate and friend since childhood, safety Brian Branch, also scored a touchdown made the whole day all the more memorable for Anderson.
“It’s even more crazy because both of us were like, bro,” Anderson said. “He texted me after the game and was like ‘Bro did we both really just score a touchdown at the same time in the same game?’”
Anderson has 15 tackles through three games, good for fifth on the team. That includes a team-high 4.5 stops for loss, two of which are sacks.
Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.
Read More Latest News From United States of Alabama