Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Get to know Brad Anderson, the ‘Little General’
10/25/2017 5:00:00 PM | Football
Leads Raiders in rushing
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee freshman running back Brad Anderson was given a very fitting nickname when he played football at Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama: the "Little General."
The 18-year-old stands at 5-foot-8 with cleats on, and when fully padded he may reach his listed weight of 170 pounds, so it's easy to see where the "Little" comes from.
The "General" comes in when Anderson hits the football field. He's a natural leader on the gridiron, and commands attention from every player when he has the ball in his hands because his quickness and vision make him a constant big-play threat.
Over the last five games, the Blue Raiders have looked to their Little General to help lead them. Since taking over the starting running back role in Week 4 against Bowling Green, he's led MT's attack with 78.4 rushing and 61.2 receiving yards per game. He's also scored three receiving touchdowns in that timeframe, though he's still looking for his first collegiate rushing TD.
It's clear the stage hasn't been too big for the Little General, but Anderson wasn't all that sure he'd make as much of an impact as he has this early in his career.
"It's something I always hoped for," he said, "but it's not something I was expecting. I was just expecting to work hard and learn from the older guys."
He didn't get into the action in the season opener against Vanderbilt, then didn't receive a rushing attempt against Syracuse and Minnesota in weeks two and three.
While he didn't get a lot of playing time, Anderson made an impression on head coach Rick Stockstill and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin in the few plays he was on the field, most notably against Syracuse.
"The first play he came in against Syracuse, he caught a swing pass and got downhill fast, made someone miss, finished the run and looked dynamic," Franklin said. "The next play he had the ball he fumbled, but as far as the physical part, you could tell then the game wasn't too big for him."
Anderson enjoyed a breakout party against Bowling Green two weeks after the Syracuse matchup, turning his first start into his first-career 100-yard rushing game with 102, and he also scored his first touchdown to go along with 98 receiving yards.
The dynamic, big-play ability he showed against Bowling Green and in the games since developed from Anderson embracing the Little General mindset and learning how to be an undersized back in high school.
At Bob Jones, he excelled in an offense that used the Tony Franklin System, created by MT's coordinator. Anderson led the Patriots his senior year in rushing yards, touchdowns, receiving yards and receptions, and he even broke an Alabama state record when he broke off two 99-yard rushing TDs in the same game.
"I was thinking on both plays I was just going to get a couple of yards to give our quarterback enough room to throw it," Anderson said, "but my O-line did a great job of blocking and the hole opened wide so I could use my speed, and I just had to beat a safety both times."
It was at a camp at Samford University where Franklin first saw Anderson. Though the coach saw a severely undersized back, he also noticed how Anderson seemed to be good at just about everything when he had the ball in his hands.
"I knew then he could be dynamic catching the football," Franklin said. "At his size, you have to be dynamic in every phase or else you can't take him. I could tell then that he was a good, natural receiver and that he was coachable."
Since Anderson already knew the system Franklin had installed at Middle Tennessee when the freshman was searching for colleges, the university instantly went to the top of his wish list when he was narrowing down choices late in 2016.
The fact that Murfreesboro is only a two-hour drive from Madison also helped his decision.
"It's great to be close to home," Anderson said, "because having your support system there at every game is nice.
"I always felt like this was a fit for me, so to be able to come here and live out my dreams is a blessing."
Anderson has taken ahold of the starting running back spot for the Blue Raiders and shown that despite his size he can be a dynamic, all-around running back for the next few seasons.
However, in order to be a leader and live up to his Little General nickname, Anderson knows there's plenty to learn and growing to do. His offensive coordinator just hopes a lot of that growth comes courtesy of the weight room.
"For him, it's just the maturation process of getting bigger, faster, stronger, and he'll do that as time goes by," Franklin said. "I expect him to always be a really good player."
The 18-year-old stands at 5-foot-8 with cleats on, and when fully padded he may reach his listed weight of 170 pounds, so it's easy to see where the "Little" comes from.
The "General" comes in when Anderson hits the football field. He's a natural leader on the gridiron, and commands attention from every player when he has the ball in his hands because his quickness and vision make him a constant big-play threat.
Over the last five games, the Blue Raiders have looked to their Little General to help lead them. Since taking over the starting running back role in Week 4 against Bowling Green, he's led MT's attack with 78.4 rushing and 61.2 receiving yards per game. He's also scored three receiving touchdowns in that timeframe, though he's still looking for his first collegiate rushing TD.
It's clear the stage hasn't been too big for the Little General, but Anderson wasn't all that sure he'd make as much of an impact as he has this early in his career.
"It's something I always hoped for," he said, "but it's not something I was expecting. I was just expecting to work hard and learn from the older guys."
He didn't get into the action in the season opener against Vanderbilt, then didn't receive a rushing attempt against Syracuse and Minnesota in weeks two and three.
While he didn't get a lot of playing time, Anderson made an impression on head coach Rick Stockstill and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin in the few plays he was on the field, most notably against Syracuse.
"The first play he came in against Syracuse, he caught a swing pass and got downhill fast, made someone miss, finished the run and looked dynamic," Franklin said. "The next play he had the ball he fumbled, but as far as the physical part, you could tell then the game wasn't too big for him."
Anderson enjoyed a breakout party against Bowling Green two weeks after the Syracuse matchup, turning his first start into his first-career 100-yard rushing game with 102, and he also scored his first touchdown to go along with 98 receiving yards.
The dynamic, big-play ability he showed against Bowling Green and in the games since developed from Anderson embracing the Little General mindset and learning how to be an undersized back in high school.
At Bob Jones, he excelled in an offense that used the Tony Franklin System, created by MT's coordinator. Anderson led the Patriots his senior year in rushing yards, touchdowns, receiving yards and receptions, and he even broke an Alabama state record when he broke off two 99-yard rushing TDs in the same game.
"I was thinking on both plays I was just going to get a couple of yards to give our quarterback enough room to throw it," Anderson said, "but my O-line did a great job of blocking and the hole opened wide so I could use my speed, and I just had to beat a safety both times."
It was at a camp at Samford University where Franklin first saw Anderson. Though the coach saw a severely undersized back, he also noticed how Anderson seemed to be good at just about everything when he had the ball in his hands.
"I knew then he could be dynamic catching the football," Franklin said. "At his size, you have to be dynamic in every phase or else you can't take him. I could tell then that he was a good, natural receiver and that he was coachable."
Since Anderson already knew the system Franklin had installed at Middle Tennessee when the freshman was searching for colleges, the university instantly went to the top of his wish list when he was narrowing down choices late in 2016.
The fact that Murfreesboro is only a two-hour drive from Madison also helped his decision.
"It's great to be close to home," Anderson said, "because having your support system there at every game is nice.
"I always felt like this was a fit for me, so to be able to come here and live out my dreams is a blessing."
Anderson has taken ahold of the starting running back spot for the Blue Raiders and shown that despite his size he can be a dynamic, all-around running back for the next few seasons.
However, in order to be a leader and live up to his Little General nickname, Anderson knows there's plenty to learn and growing to do. His offensive coordinator just hopes a lot of that growth comes courtesy of the weight room.
"For him, it's just the maturation process of getting bigger, faster, stronger, and he'll do that as time goes by," Franklin said. "I expect him to always be a really good player."
Players Mentioned
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