Among a Dozen Standouts, Alabama's Will Anderson Jr., Brian Robinson Jr. Named SEC Players of the Week

The two standouts, also part of 12 selections by the Tide coaching staff, are conferencewide recipients of defensive and offensive players of the week after each contributing heavily to Alabama's 42-21 win to Ole Miss.

Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The SEC announced its offensive and defensive players of the week on Monday, and the Crimson Tide pair of running back Brian Robinson Jr. and linebacker Will Anderson Jr. are its week five recipients. 

Upon their selections, Alabama has now had six players earn the weekly conference honor through five games this season.

Robinson Jr. rushed for a career-high 171 yards and four touchdowns against the Rebels. He also registered a career-high in attempts, 36, which averaged to 4.8 yards-per-carry on the afternoon.

The Tuscaloosa native is a first-time selection of the conference's weekly individual honor.

Adding to his selection, both by the SEC and Alabama coaching staff, the fifth-year running back was named the Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Week on Sunday. The Reese's Senior Bowl selected Robinson Jr. for the same achievement on Monday morning, making it four separate distinctions.

Anderson Jr., the sophomore standout, recorded a career-high nine tackles on Saturday. That includes 2.5 tackles-for-loss and one sack. 

Previously an SEC Defensive Player of the Week selection for his performance in week three at Florida, the linebacker also registered a quarterback hurry. 

Accounting for the two aforementioned names, Alabama coaches named 10 other players of the week on Monday.

The starting offensive line, Javion Cohen, Evan Neal, Darrian Dalcourt, Emil Ekiyor, Chris Owens and Kendall Randolph, was collectively selected as top performers on offense. 

Behind the blockers, Alabama rushed for 210 yards on 50 carries between running backs Robinson Jr., Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams and Trey Sanders. And in total, its offense gained 451 yards in 76 plays en route to the win.

Safeties Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis were the defensive nominations, meanwhile, as Battle contributed nine total tackles and Hellams added a team-high 11 tackles.

And Mathis, the fifth-year lineman, accounted for three total tackles and one sack. He's also credited with the second-quarter forced fumble of Rebels quarterback Matt Corral.

Special teams contributor Jaylen Moody was the lone selection there, and the linebacker made a key stop in kickoff return that pinned the Rebels deep, eventually leading to Mathis' forced fumble just outside the Ole Miss 20-yard line. 

Looking ahead, Alabama plays Texas A&M Saturday in College Station. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT on CBS.