How to block Will Anderson? SEC coaches explain their plan, why it’s so difficult.

The buzz was steady coming out of Alabama’s modified 2020 preseason camp. A freshman outside linebacker and a relatively late bloomer in the recruiting scene was making a whole lot of noise.

They called him The Terminator.

And Will Anderson’s done little to disprove the nickname as the national freshman of the year to an outside shot at the 2021 Heisman Trophy. A wickedly unique fusion of size, speed and a non-stop motor created a pass-rush Frankenstein plucked from the nightmares of a quarterback.

Anderson leads the nation in sacks (12.5) and tackles for loss (23.0) as a lurking presence ready to bring chaos to opposing backfields on any given snap. He draws loose comparisons to Crimson Tide legend Derrick Thomas, though his record 27.0 sacks in the 1988 season doesn’t appear to be in trouble, his tackles for loss mark of 39.0 isn’t totally out of reach.

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Either way, the personable 20-year-old said another national title is the only carrot on his stick.

So how do you approach blocking this unrelenting force? Arkansas’ Sam Pittman is up next with a 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday visit to Bryant-Denny Stadium looming. The long-time offensive line coach took a stab at explaining the challenge of Anderson while SEC coaches who previously faced the task discussed their approach.

Film work showed Pittman the different ways Alabama moves Anderson within the formation to make it harder to lock in.

“They do a lot of what I call behind the center blitzes,” Pittman said. “So they’ll take him all the way behind the center. They’ll take him into the A-gap. And he has so much speed, so our tackles really, really need to have a good week of practice. Because if you sit wide on him, it’s over. I mean, he’s going to come in and he’s going to beat it.”

Pittman translated that into more simple terms.

“Basically what they’re trying to do is pick the tackle and not give the guard time to come off,” he said. “And he’s so fast.”

Doesn’t sound fun.

LSU was the last SEC opponent to face Alabama, and while the 20-14 score was closer than expected, Anderson did his part. Did the Tigers change the way they blocked on account of Anderson?

“Well, you try to. He beats them,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. “I mean, the guy is good. You try to run the zone read away from him and he runs you down. You try to kick him while he beats the block.

Anderson had 12 tackles -- 4.0 for loss including 1.5 sacks on an intense night in Tuscaloosa.

“The best thing to do in pass protection, in my opinion, is to chip him and double team him,” Orgeron said. “The guy is a force. I’m so glad to see he’s playing well. Will is one of my favorite recruits that I recruited.”

Florida’s Dan Mullen said it depends on their scheme if they had to adjust to account for Anderson. His pure physicality is the biggest challenge, he said, after holding Anderson without a sack with 2.0 of his seven tackles going for a loss in the 31-29 Tide win.

Mississippi State and Mike Leach weren’t so fortunate keeping Anderson away from quarterback Will Rogers in Alabama’s 49-9 win on Oct. 16. His 4.0 sacks were the most by any Tide player since Thomas’ 1988 season as Alabama held the Bulldogs’ No. 3 passing attack to its second-fewest yards of the season.

“He’s a tenacious guy,” Leach said. “All of the adjectives that go into a good player. He’s all of that. Kinda relentless. He’s one of those guys who’s playing hard when others aren’t.”

Leach said the talent around Anderson made it harder to key on just him but other elite pass rushers.

The supporting cast, Nick Saban said, might be the key to it all.

“I think the important thing is that you have complementary players that if they do try to scheme him that other players can take up the slack and give you pressure in other areas,” Saban said, “which I think some of our players have done a good job of.”

The opening drive of Saturday’s 59-3 route of New Mexico State saw Anderson sprint off the edge untouched for a third-down sack. A series later, it was middle linebacker Henry To’o To’o coming off the opposite end for the unabated hit on quarterback Jonah Johnson.

Anderson smiled Monday when asked about the different ways opposing offenses have tried to stop him.

“It’s really quite a challenge,” Anderson said. “I see different protections all the time. You get a little 5-0 protection, 70 protection, Charlie protection. Chip in with running backs and stuff like that. It’s been an adjustment but it’s nothing that, you know, the coaches and the players, we all come together and kind of find ways around it.”

Texas A&M held Anderson without a sack or tackle for loss in a 41-38 upset. It is probably no coincidence Aggie quarterback Zach Calzada had a career night completing 21 of 31 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Anderson said A&M’s blocking scheme was the most challenging he faced as it often dedicated both a tight end and running back to protecting Calzada.

Pittman and Arkansas know it will be a group effort keeping Anderson off quarterback KJ Jefferson.

“Hopefully, our tight ends will get a piece of him,” Pittman said. “Our running backs will get a piece of him, and our tackles. Putting him one-on-one with a tackle for the entirety of the game just doesn’t make any sense. We’ve got to plan for him, and hopefully, we can execute it.”

The Razorbacks enter with the No. 50 pass protection nationally allowing 19.0 sacks in its first 10 games. Jefferson was sacked three times in each of the last two wins over Mississippi State and LSU.

Arkansas offensive tackle Dalton Wagner said the practice plan this week was to put themselves in “bad positions” so they’ll know how to react when they encounter them Saturday.

“He’s an elite, elite pass rusher,” Wagner said. “Kid’s put a lot of great stuff on film. He’s a grown man. He does a tremendous job bending edges, using his hands, powering through blocks. It’s really important that we get hands on him and take care of business when we go against him.”

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.

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