NORFOLK, Va. — While the Norfolk State Spartans have put together an incredible season that includes a recent 6 game winning streak, one of their cornerstones on defense Stuart Anderson, Jr. has been finding a gentle balance of school, football along with being a member of the NSU ROTC. "Discipline, time management. You know when you're in the military, they expect you to be a certain place at a certain time", he says. "If your plane takes off it at 8:00 you can't get there at 7:59."
The attention to detail is something the Mathews, Virginia native carries with him as a 2nd lieutenant transportation officer with the U.S. Army 302nd based at Fort Eustis in Newport News. He takes a 40 minute drive to the peninsula once a month and two weeks in the summer for annual training.
It's something his family has always done. His father, Stuart Anderson, Sr. who was a standout defensive lineman at the University Of Virginia was also a 2nd lieutenant while in Charlottesville. He was later in the NFL with Washington and had to train at Fort Belvoir in Northern Virginia as well as an uncle who served during the Vietnam War. He's now following in their footsteps. "He said it would be good for you if you do those types of things and they'll be looking at you for what you do off the field."
Meantime on the field, Anderson is helping lead a Spartan team that's putting together an impressive season with him anchoring the defense. "It's a great thing to be a part of and especially to be you know somebody who has a key role or a pivotal role on the team, so it feels great."