Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Anderson creates his moment in time
Nine being on time meant 30 never looked so good for those Bryant Hornets.
Tanner Anderson, who wears No. 9, ran 18 times for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns as Bryant held off North Little Rock 27-17 to capture its third consecutive Class 7A state championship Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Anderson cemented his MVP selection, and Bryant’s 30th consecutive victory, with a 25-yard touchdown run with 6:23 remaining in the game. It marked Bryant’s first points in almost 20 minutes of clock time — atypical for one of the most dynamic offenses in Arkansas high school football history — and represented the eventual 10-point cushion after North Little Rock had drawn within 20-17 early in the fourth quarter.
The Hornets, who led 20-0 late in the first half, covered 75 yards in seven plays for their backbreaking touchdown. The bullish Anderson was responsible for 50 yards, including 44 rushing on 5 carries, and turned a 5-yard loss into a 6-yard gain after catching a pass in the left flat and running through a defender.
“He’s strong,” Hornets Coach Buck James said. “I tell him all the time, ‘He’s a dog.’ How many backs have you ever seen that run with that kind of tenacity – over and over and over – and he’s done it for us for two years. He’s got the heart of a lion.
“He’s not on time very much, but, shoot, he plays football great. I think that’s the only knock I can say about Tanner. Time means nothing to him. But when he gets on that football field, he’s a true champion.”
Asked to elaborate on Anderson’s clock management, James deadpanned: “He’s always late.”
“OK, on time is late,” Anderson said with a laugh. “You’ve got to be early to be on time.”
Anderson, 5-10, 203 pounds, transferred to Bryant after playing at Bentonville West as a sophomore. He was a vital cog on Bryant’s 2019 state championship team and elevated his play this fall, despite splitting time with senior Jamarien Bracey, a Rison transfer. Anderson finished with more than 1,100 rushing yards (the 13-0 Hornets totaled more than 3,000 running and passing on the season).
“He’s a guy that wants to win and propel his team to be the best they can be,” James said. “He’s a very unselfish player. The way you see him play is the way he practices. He practices just as hard as he plays this game, every single day.”
Asked to describe his running style, Anderson mentioned New Orleans Saints star Alvin Kamara, among the NFL leaders in rushing and receiving this season.
“I don’t feel like I really ever go down on the first hit,” Anderson said. “Think those yards after contact is one of my best accolades.”
Anderson’s production this fall has drawn the attention of several in-state NCAA Division II schools, including Ouachita Baptist University, Henderson State University, Arkansas Tech University and the University of Arkansas-Monticello, which he said have offered scholarships.
“I’ve been talking to a couple of schools,” Anderson said. “But we’ll see after this game, last job interview.”
The timing couldn’t be better.