Quarterback Christian Anderson will play the Armed Forces Bowl as an Army officer.
Anderson graduated as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Friday ahead of the Black Knights’ bowl game against Missouri Wednesday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Ft. Worth, Texas.
“Yesterday, I did what so many people told me I couldn’t do and graduated from the United States Military Academy, one of the prestigious schools in the world,” Anderson wrote on Instagram Saturday. “One thing, I learned from this journey is that I can do anything I put my mind to and God will always have my back.
“It hasn’t been easy and there’s been bumps in the road but in the end, I’m happy for everything I’ve experienced, good or bad while at West Point. I’ll always treasure the relationships that I have made and the good times I’ve spent with so many good people. I’m very excited for the next part of my life as an officer in the U.S. Army.”
Anderson’s not the first Army football player to take the field as a second lieutenant in the postseason. Defensive tackle Mike Gann and tackle Jason Johnson were starters on Army’s 2010 Armed Forces Bowl champion team. Center Bryce Holland was a team captain for Army’s victory in the 2018 Armed Forces Bowl. Guard Mike Johnson captained the Black Knights 2020 Liberty Bowl team.
Anderson has thrown for 653 yards and five touchdown passes and rushed for 586 yards and seven touchdowns. Anderson’s 653 passing yards are the third-highest by an Army quarterback in the Jeff Monken era (2014-2021) behind Kelvin Hopkins (1,026, 2018) and Ahmad Bradshaw (703, 2016). He has thrown for 1,003 yards and rushed for 1,434 yards in his career. Anderson is just the seventh Army quarterback to have 1,000 career passing and rushing yards, joining Ahmad Bradshaw, Tory Crawford, Kelvin Hopkins, Ronnie McAda, Trent Steelman and Rollie Stichweh.
