Bulldogs’ Anderson is definitely a ‘disrupter’

Former Rome High standout sees career finally coming together.

ATHENS — It’s called the “twoby-four.”

This is not a reference to the well-known lumber product used to build homes. We’re talking about the football move used to bring down blockers and ball carriers.

To witness a textbook use of it, find yourself a recording of the Bulldogs’ game against South Carolina last Saturday and fast-forward to the 7:00 mark of the first quarter. Then find Georgia’s No. 19 on the screen and follow him down the field on kickoff coverage.

You’ ll se e No. 19 — seni or Adam Anderson — run through an attempted block by South Carolina’s Jaylen Foster and continue on a beeline toward kick returner

Jalen Brooks, who fielded the kickoff at the 11. Anderson reaches Brooks at about the 21 and drops him almost immediately with a one-armed clothesline tackle.

The two-by-four actually was executed on the blocker. The tackle was nothing but physics at work. It’s what happens when a 6-foot-5, 238-pound man moving at approximately 21 mph meets a 200-pound receiver who has not yet reached full speed. Brooks went into the turf, back first, almost immediately.

The capacity crowd of 92,746 at Sanford Stadium responded with a collective, “Oooooooh!”

Rome High School coach John

Reid saw it unfold live. He immediately sprang into action to get a video copy queued up for Monday after- noon’s team meeting.

“We call that the two-by- four,” said Reid, who has won state championships at Rome and in Tennessee and was named Georgia’s Coach of the Year in 2020. “Adam knows that move well. We worked on it every day. I taught it to him. I’m sure Georgia has worked with him on it since then. But it’s a known move in the game. Stick out your arm, thumb up, punch him right in the shoulder, almost like jousting.”

The two-by-four is only one in an arsenal of moves Anderson has brought with him into his senior season with the Bulldogs. Most of the weapons he already had when he arrived at UGA — things like exceptional speed, extraordinary height, incredible athletic ability, uncanny intelligence. All of those made him a 5-star prospect while at Rome High.

The difference now is, four years later, Anderson has been able to blend them together to utilize them on an every-play basis for the Bulldogs.

After years of sit t ing behind Azeez Ojulari, D’AN- dre Walker, Jermaine John- son and Walter Grant at outside linebacker, Anderson is now able to unleash all his athletic attributes on Georgia’s defense, as well as special teams.

Hence, Anderson heads into Week 4 of the season and Georgia’s game against Vanderbilt on Saturday in Nashville (noon, SEC Net- work) as the Bulldogs’ leader in sacks (3) and tackles for loss (7). He ranks third overall in tackles (12).

Though it took a while for Anderson to become a regular on the Bulldogs’ nationally ranked defense, he always has been and continues to be a special teams stalwart.

“Adam has always done a tremendous job on special teams,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He’s perfect for special teams, 6-foot-4, 230235 pounds, runs fast. What more could you want than a fast, big guy on special teams? He’s always taken a lot of pride in that.”

Anderson does, and he’s not interested in relinquish- ing that role anytime soon.

That’s why he continues to occupy a position known as “disrupter” on Georgia’s kickoff coverage team. It’s the role occupied by the two defenders closest to kicker in the middle of the field. And it’s fairly uncomplicated.

Run down the field as fast as you can, maintain your “lane” and get to the ball carrier as fast as you can.

Few do it better than Anderson, a fact in which he takes great pride.

“I see special teams as no different than playing on defense,” said Anderson, whom 247Sports rated as the No. 1 outside linebacker in the country in 2018. “You’ve got to love the sport to play them. … Special teams in and of itself, I love them. Running down the field, go knock somebody’s head off full speed. That’s what I love about it.”

That part has always come easy to Anderson. The other aspects of college ball were more difficult for him.

But it’s in those other areas that the Bulldogs and Anderson’s former coaches in Rome have seen so much growth in him.

“Adam has reasserted himself on this team as one who cares,” Smart said. “He used to miss academics, now he doesn’t miss academics; he used to miss treatment, now he doesn’t. You watch the growth of a player, and I’ve seen it since being here: Year 1, they don’t have a clue; Year 2, they’re still trying to figure it out; to Year 3, they get it. And that’s how you’re supposed to do it. He’s in that year where he understands what he’s supposed to do.”

Anderson doesn’t shrug off his coach’s assessment.

“Player development,” Anderson s aid. “Every school talks about it, but I see it in myself, going from freshman year to this year.”

MACKENZIE MILES/UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA Georgia outside linebacker Adam Anderson (19) says he loves playing special teams as much as he does playing defense.