Will Anderson Jr. lives by ‘Built By ‘Bama’

The expression “Built by Bama” is not just a slogan used by fans on social media. It is a mentality, a set of principles that every player Coach Nick Saban has coached at Alabama and now plays in the NFL follows. Newly crowned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. strives to uphold this motto every week in the NFL.

During his time at Radio Row for Super Bowl LVIII, Anderson Jr. discussed with SB Nation’s JP Acosta the teachings he received from Nick Saban, the variations in strategies used when playing at Alabama versus Houston, and the rivalry with Texans’ QB CJ Stroud. All of this is made possible by Jif, collaborating with Anderson to rescue the celery left after eating chicken wings.

While Anderson Jr. was at Alabama, he frequently lined up on the inside shoulder of the tackle in a 4i technique, primarily focusing on stopping the run before transitioning to pass defense. Nevertheless, in Houston, he aimed for the outer shoulder of the tackle while in a wider 9 alignment.

Anderson Jr. mentioned that the way he leverages and places his hands is significantly different from his time at Alabama, but his development throughout the season serves as a testament to the progress made by the Texans’ defense throughout the season. Houston ranked 15th in Defensive EPA per play in the NFL, but halfway through the season, the Texans’ defense became one of the quickest and most aggressive in the league, with Anderson Jr. playing a crucial role. Anderson’s bullrush was consistently effective against opposing tackles throughout the season, and he mentioned that he practiced using it from various angles and against different passing formations.

Anderson Jr. mentioned that he focuses on incorporating stutter steps into his game.