Alabama's 'Terminator' discusses nickname, breakout freshman season

Will Anderson Jr. has a bit of a confession to make about the popular nickname he picked up during his freshman season at Alabama.

Former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian first dubbed the five-star edge rusher “The Terminator” this fall after watching him destroy his teammates on the other side of the ball during camp. The moniker stuck when Anderson began to wreak the same havoc on opponents during the season. However, the young defender admits he had to have its origin explained to him.

"I'm kind of ashamed because I've never even watched the movie 'The Terminator,'” Anderson said with a laugh during his first interview with local reporters on Thursday. “But I like the name, it's a good name. I guess when I looked it up and people were telling me what the meaning of it, I said, 'OK, it can stay.' But it’s great. I like it.”

Anderson lived up to his movie-villain label last season, terrorizing opposing offenses en route to being named the Shaun Alexander-FWAA National Freshman Player of the Year. Starting all 13 games at the Jack linebacker position, he led all college freshmen with seven sacks while tallying 52 tackles including 10.5 stops for a loss. He also led the Crimson Tide with eight quarterback hurries and forced a fumble against Florida in the SEC Championship Game.

“The experience was great,” Anderson said. “I learned a lot. I got a lot of experience. I had to grow up really quick. Just being out there with my teammates and them helping me along the way, it was a great first year and I’m looking forward to another one this year coming up.”

Even before earning his nickname, Anderson came to Tuscaloosa, Ala. with quite a bit of hype. The prized recruit was rated as the No. 1 weakside defensive end and No. 22 overall player in the 2020 class and immediately drew a bit of buzz during fall camp when word of his dominance at practice began to leak out of the program.

However, the extra attention didn’t alter Anderson’s path of destruction one bit.

“I ignore it. I ignore it all,” he said. “I’m not that type of person. I just try to keep my head down and I think it all starts with the type of mentality you have. I really just wanted to come in here and work. Just be humble and when the opportunity arrives, just take it and go for it. I try to block all that out.”

While providing plenty of pressure early in the year, Anderson failed to record a sack until the eighth game of the season. From there, the freshman became an almost unstoppable force, rattling off two sacks in each of his next three outings, including the SEC Championship Game.

“My confidence clicked for me," Anderson said. "Me being confident in myself... I always knew my job, but I was always trying to play it safe a little bit. And I think when I just took the game for what it was and grew into myself and said, ‘OK, this is your job, now let’s play football, let’s be Will Anderson.’ My confidence grew, and I think that’s what helped me midway through the end of the season.”

Anderson credits some of that confidence to the guidance he received from Christopher Allen, stating the starting Sam linebacker would often stay late with him after practice to go over techniques and breakdown the playbook.

“He communicated with me a lot because sometimes I’d go out there and freeze, and he’d just be like, ‘Calm down. Relax. I got you. I’m here for you,’” Anderson recalled. “So he really took me under his wing and really helped me this whole season. He showed me a lot, so I appreciate him a lot.”

Heading into his second year with the program, Anderson said he hopes to pass on that guidance to some of his less-experienced teammates while taking on a more vocal role in the defense.

“I kind of lead through my actions sometimes,” Anderson said. “Being a leader is one thing I want to step up this year, talking on the defense with the other guys. And just getting better with my teammates and as a position group.”

Despite joining Alabama as an early enrollee last season, this is Anderson’s first spring with the Tide as last year’s camp was wiped out due to the pandemic. The sophomore said the last couple of weeks have allowed him to hone his skills while getting a better understanding of the defense as a whole.

“I’m actually getting to slow things down this year and actually understand why I’m doing this, what is my job, why certain things happen in the defense,” Anderson said. “I’m actually learning the whole defense, just not my job but other people’s job, where people are rolling down to, where do I have to fit. So I’m actually learning the whole defense, and I think this is a better experience and a great experience for me this year.”

As for what to expect from Anderson this season, as the movie line goes, he’ll be back.

“I still have more work to do,” Anderson said. “That was last year, and I’ve got to move on to this year.”