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Five minutes with 1000-yard rusher Justin Anderson
NIU running back Justin Anderson’s season last year didn’t end quite the way he had hoped.
While the junior did become NIU’s ninth consecutive 1000–yard rusher, in his season finale against Ball State, he suffered a knee injury.
The running back took time out to talk with the Northern Star about his knee, basketball and how he plans to leave his mark at NIU.
Northern Star: We might as well get the question on everyone’s mind out of the way first: How’s the knee holding up this spring?
Justin Anderson: It feels fine; maybe a little stiff before practice, but that’s normal for everyone.
NS: Is it more of a mental thing at this point?
JA: I think so, and that doesn’t bother me. I’d rather hurt it going full speed than to be tentative on it. So I’m not going to slow down.
NS: What have you missed out on doing since the injury, besides football stuff?
JA: Probably play-fighting with friends and stuff like that. We’re an active group and do things like play basketball, so I’ve had to stay out of that a bit.
NS: So what have you been doing?
JA: Spending a lot of time with friends and keeping my mind off it. And trying not to do something stupid to make it worse.
NS: Bristan Kelley, who played on the NIU basketball team the past two seasons, has been giving football a go this spring. Have you talked to him at all?
JA: Yeah, I call him "NBA." He’s actually got some nice hands. You can tell he works hard.
NS: Any chance of you switching sports?
JA: I think I would try basketball [Laughs]. I think I could throw some good passes and fit in there.
NS: What kind of numbers would you put up?
JA: Fifteen points and at least 10 assists a game – got to get other people involved.
NS: I think coach Ricardo Patton is on your other line right now.
JA: [laughs] Maybe.
NS: So, tell me a little about coach Kill. What are your first impressions of him?
JA: He’s so unpredictable. He was talking about women the other day.
NS: Women?
JA: He says there’s no such thing as winning when it comes to women. He says he’s never won an argument with his wife. He teaches a lot of life lessons like that.
NS: Last season, you were the ninth consecutive NIU running back to rush for 1,000 yards. What does that mean to you?
JA: You know, a friend asked me the same question the other day and I told him I don’t really pay much attention to it.
NS: Do you hear about it a lot?
JA: Well, there’s pictures of all the other backs in the media room with how many yards they rushed for – people like Garrett Wolfe and Michael Turner. So you know where you stand.
NS: Can you name the other running backs on the list?
JA: (laughs) I don’t think I can, but I don’t need to; I’m only concerned about the first few. I want to be on the top of that list.
NS: Think Garrett Wolfe might have a problem with that?
JA: We talk on the phone a lot and I see his picture up there with 1,928 yards and it makes me want to rush for 2,000 and call him and say, "I’m better than you."
NS: I bet he’d love that.
JA: He might call me a few names or something. He’d probably say, “Well, I had X touchdowns,” and find some way out of it. It’s all in fun though; he really helps keep me motivated.
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