In a sea of smiling faces, Will Anderson refused to budge.
Alabama’s team picture day normally features a few grins, but it was Anderson’s death stare that went viral on social media.
“I’m not really a big smiling guy in team photos and stuff like that,” Anderson said. “They get me to smile sometimes, but in that moment, it was hot outside and I was just ready to go.”
Known as one of the most intimidating edge rushers in college football, the serious look suits the junior. It’s also indicative of his mood entering the fall.
Despite earning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and picking up unanimous first-team All-American honors, Anderson’s mind is still on Alabama’s 33-18 loss to Georgia in last season’s national championship game.
The star edge rusher still isn’t taking the defeat as a laughing matter.
“It motivates us big time,” Anderson said. “The defense has goals to stop the run, limit points and stuff like that. We're big on that issue. We're going to meet all of those goals this year, and we're going to try our best to play as a unit, build that team chemistry and be a fast, physical defense.”
As far as individual goals are concerned, it’s going to be hard for Anderson to top last year when he led the nation in tackles for loss (34.5) and in sacks (17.5), en route to 102 total stops. Heading what figures to be his final season with the Crimson Tide the 6-foot-4 243-pound defender is projected as a Heisman finalist and is expected to be a top-five pick in the NFL Draft.
Don’t expect that to lighten his mood any.
“That’s what’s different about Will than a lot of people. Will has always been that way. He came in hungry, preparing the right way and I think Coach (Saban) uses the term ‘relentless discontent.’ That’s who Will is,” Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding said. “Regardless of what individual accolade he gets and all the praise he gets from you guys and all that, it doesn’t change who Will is. Will shows up every day with the same mindset. ‘I’m going to outwork everybody else. I am going to prepare harder than everybody else and I’m going to improve my craft.’”
Anderson’s mentality seems to have taken root in the Alabama locker room this season. Henry To’oTo’o said the team has committed to bringing a “championship mentality every single day.”
The constant reminder of what could have been from last season is also prominently displayed in the team’s cafeteria every day.
“It's kind of hard to turn the page with the tough loss, we worked all year to achieve that goal. In a way, we still haven't turned the page because it's always in the back of our minds. In our cafeteria, we've got the participation trophy from the championship just in there just like it's a participation trophy to say you made it, but you didn’t do anything and you didn’t win.”
Even when asked how the team felt about being ranked No. 1 in the AFCA preseason coaches poll on Monday, Anderson flashed that death glare again and cited that the only motivation the team needs sits in the cafeteria.
“We really don’t know anything about the polls,” Anderson said. “That’s not something that is talked about in the locker room. That’s not something that’s put up on the board, we don’t know about any of that stuff. The motivation in the locker room is everything that we did last year, all the bad things that we did last year.”
